Don't Die
by allwalkfree
Summary: Bakugou finally musters up the courage to go visit Best Jeanist, but when old enemies of the former pro hero resurface, when ugly secrets are brought back to light, when the number four hero turns out to be more than meets the eye. Bakugou wonders if walking through the hospital door that faithful day was really worth everything that came after.
1. Find Courage

"Thanks for visiting Bakubro!"

Bakugou wished those were the last words he heard in this God forsaken hospital, but fuck if he ever was that lucky.

He was currently standing in front of a door he had walked away from numerous times before, contemplating just walking away from it again. The man wouldn't know, hell he wouldn't care, and Bakugou would avoid whatever shit would come from seeing him again.

Clenching his fists, he chewed on his bottom lip hard. He could walk away. He had always walked away. This didn't have to be any different from all the other times.

So what if an ugly feeling strangely similar to guilt clawed its way up his throat every time he let himself forget. So what if he felt his hands shaking every time the image of the man being carded of to the hospital, bloody and broken, flashed through his mind after a particular vivid nightmare. So what.

Bakugou owed him fuck all.

Th uniform freak had brought this on himself and Bakugou shouldn't be wasting his precious time contemplating whether he should see a dying man or not.

And yet.

Stuffing his fists deep in his pockets, Bakugou growled. Fuck this shit.

Spinning on his heels, he turned away and briskly made his way towards the entrance door.

'_I think you should go see him bro._' Bakugou paused. '_I mean, if it's bothering you this much, maybe you should just go talk to him? Wouldn't hurt right?" _

Fucking shitty hair and his meddling in shit that didn't concern him.

Kicking harshly at the floor, Bakugou glared furiously at his last chance of escaping. The hospital entrance was right there, he only had to fucking walk out of it.

Kirishima's toothy grin flashed in front of his eyes.

He paused. _Why me?'_ he thought bitterly.

Slamming his head against the nearest wall much to the astonishment and concern of the nursing staff around him, Bakugou just let his head rest there for a while. The cool surface soothing some of his frayed nerves. "Fuck."

He couldn't let shitty hair down. Not when the idiot had gone out of his fucking way to stick by his sorry ass. If he went back tomorrow to see the idiot just to tell him he'd forgotten to see the uniform freak, well Bakugou didn't want to see that drowned puppy look on the redhead's face anytime soon.

"Fine," he grumbled, gathering his strength to fully push himself back on his feet. "Have it your way."

Fucking shitty hair.

The idiot was a sorcerer. Katsuki would bet his damn life on it. Performing miracles and shit.

Standing once again in front of the door, Bakugou absentmindedly wondered how many times he had done this before. Probably in the double digests by now.

He scowled. Fuck if he couldn't just let this obsession go.

Gritting his teeth, the hot-tempered U.A student steeled himself for the inevitable confrontation. Lifting his hand in what almost looked like hesitation, but wasn't, for Bakugou Katsuki didn't hesitate for shit, he let his knuckles gently rap against the door.

Nothing.

If Pikachu was here, he would have laughed at him. "You call that a knock Blasty?" he would say.

"Hell Katsuki, no one's gonna hear that lame ass sound. Try with a little more oomph yeah!"

Bakugou would have exploded him, but that didn't mean Dunce face was wrong. It was in fact a week-ass knock. But maybe that was the fucking point! If the uniform freak didn't hear him, it wouldn't really be his fault that they didn't talk right?

'_Wow,_' he thought, kinda stunned. '_Fucking hell Katsuki. You a fucking coward now?' _

Scowling deeper at his own inner voice, Bakugou almost let his anger take over, having half a mind to just knock the door of its hinge with a big enough explosion to rock the entire hospital.

But he didn't. Choosing instead to keep his fist gently resting against the door his body singing with tension.

'_Maybe he was sleeping. The man had had his entire stomach blown to bits after all.' _ Bakugou wouldn't really fault him for sleeping like an old man.

'_Oh well,' _he thought, shrugging in what he later would deny was relief. '_I fucking tried.' _

But before he could walk right out of that hospital and come up with an excuse not to visit shitty hair tomorrow, a familiar patronizing voice floated over to him traveling through the door.

"Come on in."

Bakugou froze in mid step.

Fuck.

There was no way out of this now and hell would freeze over before Bakugou ever turned tail and ran. He wasn't a damn coward! He would face this head on.

Pressing the palm of his hand firmly against the cold metal, he slammed the door open with a forceful shove. A lesser man would have winced at the clashing noise from the door hitting the wall, but Bakugou only scowled. Fuck uniform freak. He could shove his condescending tone where the sun didn't shine.

His familiar go to expression didn't last very long however. Not after he got a glimpse of the hospital bed.

The sight that met the young hero was anything but pleasant. It made the blonde's skin crawl.

Best Jeanist looked like a shell of a man where he lay. Swatted in bleak hospital colors, his famous hair looking stringy and dirty and his skin gaunt and discolored.

The news had claimed Tsunagu Hakamata had suffered a setback in his recovery and that some kind of deadly infection has settled into his system, but this.

Bakugou swallowed thickly.

The former number four hero looked like shit.

The twisted voice that had been nagging and whispering bitter truths in Bakugou's ear ever since the kamino incident suddenly flared back up again with vengeance.

'_Do you see him?' _it said, sounding suspiciously like a mix of the hag and Deku. _'It's your fault that he's like this.' _

Bakugou tensed. Eyebrows drawing close together, face paling._'Thought you stopped with All Might did you?' _it whispered. _'Looks like you took another hero down with him too. Perfect little villain.' _

His insides coiled. He felt sick.

'_The number four hero. Look at him. You did that.' _

'_No,' _Bakugou thought, stumbling back slightly, vision swimming. He shook his head roughly as if to expel the permanent voice that had found its residence inside his head.

'_This wasn't his fault damn it. All Might wasn't his fault either. He had told him that. All Might had held him and told him that it wasn't his fault. So how, how could this, how could this be his fault! _**' **

But, but...

He swallowed thickly. Suddenly, it became too hard to breath. It was as if someone was squeezing his throat shut. Cold clammy fingers circling around his neck, fingers that could run hot in a matter of seconds burning him if he wasn't careful. And he just couldn't fucking breathe.

Wheezing, he let his fingers claw around for something anything.

Finding the door-frame, he clung to it with all his might and tried to not let himself be swept away by everything.

_It wasn't his fault._

Bakugou could vaguely hear someone calling his name, but he couldn't. He didn't.

_It wasn't his fault._

"Bakugou!"

_It wasn't._

"Bakugou!"

_But why the fuck did it feel like it was?_

"Bakugou Katsuki!"

A heavy hand fell on his left shoulder. Another coming to rest on his other.

Bakugou's knees almost buckled under the foreign weight.

Shocked he snapped his head up. Eyes frantic and desperate as they locked gaze with the man who was supposed to be half dead on a hospital bed.

"Best Jeanist?" he said hoarsely.

Katsuki mind vaguely registered a high beeping sound echoing all around him. Rushing feet coming to a halt in front of the door. Whispers, orders, noises.

It didn't matter. All he could focus on was the shaking man currently holding onto his shoulders. "Bakugou," the sickly man whispered, tightening his grip in what he must have thought was a reassuring gesture but came across as vaguely suffocating to Bakugou. "Are you with me."

Best Jeanist eyes were pale under the hospital lights, clouded with poorly hidden pain and agony. His lips were drawn into a thin line, and his body was shivering from head to toe. The former pro hero was swaying ever so slightly from left to right.

And yet.

"Bakugou," he said softly. "I need you to breath for me lad. You're having a panic attack."

And yet.

"It's going to be ok. I just need you to focus on me"

And yet.

_Why was he so worried about him?_


	2. You're Unlucky

"Hey kiddo," Best Jeanist says, voice scratchy tired but still gentle. "You with me now?"

Katsuki just stared up at him. Mouth dry, eyes wide.

How the hell was this man even standing? Just a second ago he looked like death warmed over, and although he didn't exude an image of strength all of a sudden, he did seem to carry himself with air of calmness Bakugou desperately felt like he lacked.

Shaking his head in frustration, he opened his mouth to answer, but nothing passed his lips. Bakugou cursed internally. '_Fucking weakling,'_ he thought.

His shoulders where suddenly squeezed tightly again. This time Bakugou felt the stabilizing presence behind it.

"Easy kiddo," Best Jeanist said, lips curling into a half a smile. "An up and coming hero shouldn't let his emotions get the best of him."

_'Fucking what?'_

Feeling his hackles rising, the younger hero was just about to snap at the fancy pants denim wearing freak show, when they were suddenly interrupted by the scandalized hospital staff.

For just as quick as the number four hero had managed to drag himself out of bed, the nurses rushing into the room where equally as quick in putting him right fucking back.

"What the?" Bakugou muttered, slightly caught of guard by the sudden crowd of people hurrying in and out of the room that had just a second ago only contained him and the hospitalized former pro hero.

In his distraction Bakugou almost collided with the tall, bulky woman rushing past him. If she hadn't sharply told him to get out of the way, he would have probably not even noticed her.

_Was he that out of it?_

By now Beast Jeanist had been secured back into his proper position, and apparently from what Bakugou could make out the quick snipped of conversations, this chubby doctor had been called in to give him a check up. "Just to make sure nothing has triggered your injuries Hakamata-san," one of the nurses; a small pitied one, said gently.

The uniform freak just gave her a tired smile as he let his eyes follow the movements of the professional hospital staff as they worked meticulously to reattach all the equipments he most have carelessly thrown aside in his haste to get to Bakugou.

Katsuki didn't know how to feel about that. It was no secret that Best Jeanist's chances of full recovery were practically none existent now. He would never be the hero he used to be. However, the man still had a chance to live a normal life at some point if he was careful with how he applied himself during recovery, Bakugou didn't feel comfortable being the reason the former pro hero was shitting all over his hope of getting back on his feet some day.

A painful coughing noise abruptly broke through Bakugou's haze of distraction. The young hero's eyes quickly zeroed in on the blonde hero lying on the hospital bed, body half hunched over, and face twisting in agonizing pain he couldn't hide. It was obvious Best Jeanist was trying his best to suppress the choking misery forcing itself past his lips, but he was doing a poor fucking job of it.

The adrenaline that most have fueled the hero to come to his aid was slowly fading it seemed, and Jeanist was left with a body trying getting back at him for the brief stint of abuse he put it through.

The painful, retching noises where almost unbearable to listen to, and Bakugou had half a mind to just get the fuck out of there. But he couldn't move.

Jeanist was coughing out his fucking lungs, it was fucking terrifying, and Katsuki couldn't fucking move.

Death coiled itself like a snake in the pit of his stomach. Spreading itself into every nook and cranny, making him feel like a ghost trapped behind a body with a beating heart.

A body that couldn't do anything but to watch the man who came to his aid twice, suffer the consequences of his actions once more.

The fucker never learned. Helping Bakugou Katsuki was a suicide mission didn't he know? Fuck if anyone had ever gotten out of aiding him unscathed. All Might, Aizawa, The Uniform freak, fucking Deku, and probably shitty hair and the rest of the morons someday.

Just the thought of pinky, shitty hair, the dunce and tape face dying horrifically just because they decided to throw themselves between danger and him made Bakugou wanna hurl. If those shitstains ever got hurt under his watch? Well, Bakugou didn't know what the fuck he would do, but hell would rain down.

Still, his eyes refocused back on the man being restrained by the nursing staff, as they tried to prevent him from rupturing anything in his delicately put together stomach.

"You have to sedate him," the petite nurse said out loud, addressing the short doctor standing on the other side of the bed. Jeanist tensed. Whole body humming with nervous energy despite the ugly coughing wrecking his body.

"No," Bakugou said, taking the tiniest of steps forward. For some reason his voice barely came out above a whisper.

Jeanist didn't like being put under. Bakugou knew that, because Best Jeanist had told Bakugou that during one of their only casual conversations they had had back during Bakugou'a intern days. And wow, if that didn't feel like forever ago.

Clearing his throat in frustration, Bakugou tried again. "Stop," he called out.

No one seemed to hear him.

Damn it!

"Don't fucking sedate him," he tried to shout. But was it really a shout when no one seemed to hear it? What the fuck was he trying to do anyways? Maybe it was good that they put the denim obsessed hero under. He wouldn't have a chance to hurt himself if they did. It was fucking logical.

And yet.

"Stop," he whispered. Unable to move. '_I don't like losing consciousness either,'_ he thought. _'I don't like being helpless.'_

Something within his just wanted to reach out, move forward, do something. _'I wan to help,'_ a tiny voice different from the vicious one whispered._'I need to help.' _

_But he couldn't. He just stood there. Useless. _

_'I bet Deku would have done something.' _The traitorous voice was back again._ 'Deku wouldn't have let All Might down like that'_

_All Might? What the fuck did All Might have to do with any of this?_

"Stop," someone called out then. Someone directly behind Bakugou.

He jumped, unable to help the rigid fear of _'run, get away, run, villains,'_ that coursed through his body and reflected in his eyes.

The old man met Bakugou's gaze with an apologetic smile. "Sorry Bakugou-san," he said, moving past him and over to the doctor trying to loom above the now snarling hero.

"I promised Hakamata-san there would be no sedative for as long as it could be prevented."

"But," the other doctor protested, giving the newcomer an incredulous look.

Mr. Yagi; for Bakugou recognized shitty hair's current doctor, just shook his head at him. "Try not to antagonize a man that can string you up by the fiber of your cloths Todoku-kun."

The chubby doctor blanched, and Bakugou snorted.

Thankfully that didn't attract him any unwarranted attention. Why that was important to him now, Bakugou didn't fucking know. Suddenly the thought of getting kicked out of the room, didn't feel as relieving as it would have been just a moment ago.

"What were you thinking?" someone snapped then.

Moving his eyes to the voice, Bakugou stared at the old man.

Huh? Who would have thought bald-spot had it in him.

"Have you any idea how dangerous it is for you to move around? Your wounds have barely started healing Hakamata-san," Mr. Yagi scolded.

Apparently just because he saved Jeanist from getting blacked out, didn't mean he was gonna go easy on him. Bakugou liked him already. "Not to mention the infection you're currently fighting through," the doctor continued, voice not leaving much room for an argument. "Reckless as always I see."

"The kid," Best Jeanist sighed when the old man was finally done. Words trailing out past his chapped lips thinner than the threads of cloths he so expertly manipulated. "He was having a panic attack doc. Was just trying to help."

Any other day, and Bakugou would have been fucking offended, but there was something about seeing such a prolific hero brought low that had the fearless explosive hero rooted in his spot. Just this once forgoing voicing his annoyance.

"Young Bakugou?"

Best Jeanist nodded.

All the attention in the room was suddenly directed at him now. Bakugou snared. "Where you talking to Hakamata-san before he fell into a coughing fit?"

The question was casual. To the young explosive hero, it felt like an accusation.

Bakugou felt his chest constricting again.

This wasn't right. The uniform freak shouldn't be in a hospital. Shouldn't look so pathetic, shouldn't fucking be here damn it!

_This is all your fault. _

"Bakugou?"

_Why can't I get anything fucking right!_

"Young man?"

_People just keep getting hurt._

"Bakugou_?_

_Fucking pathetic._

_"Katsuki."_

He froze. That was Best Jeanist. His voice although frail still somehow managing to break through the rising panic Bakugou was slowly succumbing to again.

Jerking his head upward, his eyes connected with the tired gaze of the pro hero. Finding him easily, even in the midst of all the medical equipment's and the fuzzing nurses.

Said pro hero attempted what Bakugou imagined was supposed to be a calming smile when their eyes bet, but in all honesty came out more like a strained grimace. "Maybe you should sit down?" the man said, eyes flicking briefly over to the chair conveniently located next to his bed, before focusing back up at his face.

Bakugou shook his head.

_This was all wrong. _

"I need to, I should I-" he stuttered, words failing him.

What the fuck was wrong with him? _ 'Get your shit together Katsuki,' _ he thought, irritation burning under his skin.

Clenching his fits till his palms started hurting, he steeled himself and met the ex-hero's eyes unflinchingly.

"I'm gonna go," he gritted out. Trying his best to compose himself and to disregard whatever fucked up shit that had him feeling uneasy all of a sudden. "Have shit to do," he muttered.

Jeanist just blinked at him slowly. As if it took him enormous physical effort to just glean the right information out of what Katsuki had just said.

Bakugou's stomach lurched again.

He needed to get out of here, now.

"I should go," he said loudly, careful not to meet the former hero's eyes this time. Pointing a thump behind him at the door, he gave a casual shrug. "If I don't get back soon, the idiot squad will have my fucking head."

Not waiting for an answer, he turned around quickly to exit the hospital room that had done nothing but add to his current arsenal of nightmares. Ignoring the doctor soft hum of concern, the whispering nurses, and the wheezing sound that couldn't belong to any other individual than the wounded hero, Bakugou braced himself for a quick exit.

But before he could so much as take a step forward to escape the suffocating air, a horrible screeching sound rang from around the room.

Best Jeanist gasped loudly from somewhere behind him. A strange gurgling sound escaping his lips.

He didn't sound so good.

Bakugou's surroundings blurred again. The unmistakable noise of Jeanist suffering, coupled with the strict professional orders being snapped left and right, was making Bakugou feel so out of his depth. Something most have gone horribly terribly wrong.

Best Jeanist had stood up to comfort him, and now he was probably gonna die.

A firm hand settled between his shoulder blades, startling him out of his dark musing.

Bakugou tensed. But the hand stayed where it was, and the burly woman from before leaned down to speak to him softly. "Come now son," she said, her gentle tone not fitting at all with her towering figure. "The doctors are tending to your friend. Let's give them some space, ok?"

Katsuki wanted to snap at her. Tell her to fuck off, fucking weird voiced bitch, but his tongue felt heavy, his mouth felt dry and it was all he could do not to turn around and scream at the doctors for making a grown man sound so fucking pathetic.

Shrugging her off, Katsuki gave the woman the best glare he could muster under current circumstances and stepped away from here. "Don't tell me what to fucking do," he growled, arms crossing over his chest. He still didn't dare turn his head back around to look at the man a few feet away.

The giant woman just looked at him softly, a gentle look reminiscing of fucking Deku decorating her face. It set his teeth on edge.

"We have to let the professionals do their job Bakugou," she said, a hint of sternness hidden behind all the sunflowers and roses.

Bakugou snorted. "The same shitstains that got him fucking infected in the first place?"

He had no fucking clue why he was fighting with this woman. The doorstep was literally resting under his foot, and with one single step he would be out of the room, but for some reason, something in his gut kept telling him that walking out of this room right now would lead to something terrible happening to the hero, and Bakugou would be damned if he let anything else happen to the moron.

Of course this logic didn't make much sense, but Bakugou cared fuck all.

So he didn't budge.

"Marylin," someone called out from beside Jeanist. "Get rid of the child and get me Doctor Brown! We need to move him now!"

Giant lady whole demeanor changed at that. Grabbing Bakugou firmly by the shoulder; the explosive expert barely restraining himself from blowing up her arm for that, she dragged him with force past the thresholds. "I know you're worried about your friend," she said, voice barely avoiding coming out in a hiss as she narrowed her eyes at him. "But let the professionals do their job.

With that she gave him a final warning glare, before bringing out her pager and running past him in the opposite direction of where Bakugou had come from.

Alone once again with his thoughts, Bakugou stumbled back. The weight of what happened slowly downing on him as he shuffled as quickly as possible away from the doors, until his knees hit the uncomfortable metal lining of a lone chair.

How appropriate.

He dropped down on it.

Bakugou most really be the worst thing to have ever happened to the uniform freak.

Letting his head fall into his waiting hands, he took a deep, shaky breath.

'_What were the fucking chances. Two fucking times he had walked into the hero's life and two fucking times the man had almost kissed his life goodbye.' _

Fuck.


	3. Breathe

He didn't want to be here anymore.

Bakugou stood up. Legs slightly wobbly but still holding and started walking. One foot in front of the other. Slow and steady.

Katsuki walked, down the hall, around the corner, left and right until the hunting noises coming from the hospital room faded away into nothing but soft murmurs and quiet shouts.

Going there had been a bad idea. Bakugou didn't feel better at all after the encounter. In fact, he felt like shit. "Never listening to a word coming from fucking shitty hair ever again," he muttered, voice coming out slightly slurred as he stumbled his way over to the entrance of the hospital building.

_He was so fucking tired. _

'_When was the last time I slept?'_ he wondered absentmindedly, as the double doors slide open allowing the fresh summer air to greet him. Filling his lungs and expel the disgusting chemical air he had been breathing all morning.

His shoulders slumped in relief. It felt good. To just stand here, away from everyone, away from the guilt gnawing its way through his chest, and away from everything that made him second guess his actions.

Breathing in the evening weather and momentarily letting his eyes fall shut, Bakugou didn't move for a second. Tension bleeding out of his frame, and the rigid way he has been holding himself in ever since he visited the number four hero slowly softening at the corners.

This was almost nice. Bakugou had forgotten how fucking stress-free life actually was when his own failures weren't constantly being shoved back in his fucking face.

'_At least shitty hair can't say shit for not visiting the uniform freak,' _he thought, leaning against the hospital wall and away from the entrance so people could get passed him more easily. _ 'It was a shit show, but at least I went.' _

The vibrating object in his pocked made him tune back into reality, and with a scoff of annoyance he fished it out of his jeans and pressed accept without bothering to check the caller id.

'_Probably Aizawa -sensei', _he thought distracted.

The shrieking curses that met his ear were anything but his teachers' lazy drawl.

"What the fuck," he cursed, pulling the phone away from his face and glaring at it. Annoyed for a second that the bitch had caught him off guard.

Her words, unfortunately still as clear as if the phone wasn't an arm length away kept drilling into his skull, almost making his ears bleed.

"Fucking shut up old hang," he growled into the tiny metal device. Bringing it close after swatting at his ear for a couple of seconds to check if everything was still functioning correctly in there.

"What did you just say brat," his mother hissed from the other end.

"I said," Bakugou snapped back. "Shut your fucking mouth bitch."

"You ungrateful hooligan," she roared. "Fucking waste of space and my time. Why haven't you returned back to your dorms huh? Your blonde friend called me asking about you, so you're clearly not there. Do you want to get kidnapped is that it? Do you enjoy getting all the attention? Having heroes fall all over themselves to come save your ungrateful sorry-ass?"

Bakugou felt his body tense right back up again. _What the fuck did she just say? Why the fuck was she talking about the shit that happened to him as if she fucking understood? Did the hag even know where he was?_

Apparently she did, for the second thing out of her mouth was-

"Are you disturbing the resting time of that boy again? Don't you have better things to do then follow him around? Hah, and you used to make fun of sweet Izuku for that kind of pathetic behaviour-"

Bakugou gritted his teeth to stop himself from lashing out. He was fucking tired, and the woman just wouldn't shut the fuck up. Comparing him to fucking Deku. How fucking dare she!

Someone most have interrupted her on the other side, for she quickly seized talking.

Good. That gave Bakugou at least enough time to force back every foul word he wanted to throw at her, every piece of hateful ammunition he had against her and what the fuck he thought of her inability to fucking raise him right.

There were rules after all, and Bakugou wouldn't cross the line like that. Even if his nerves were more frayed then usual after today's encounter, even if he felt like collapsing and hitting his head against the wall till it bled.

There were rules, and Bakugou wasn't gonna be the one to break years old traditions.

She never mentioned his panic attacks, as those were one weakness he couldn't fight against if she dredged it up, and he didn't mention how fucking terrible she was at parenting.

It wasn't the best of compromises, but it fucking worked. So they didn't change it.

"Katsuki?"

That was the old man. The hag most have given him the phone. "Yeah," he grunted.

He could practically feel the soft smile that response elicited from the old man.

Fucking pathetic doormat, but Bakugou still found himself relaxing again under his father's familiar tone.

"Are you still at the hospital kiddo?"

_Best Jeanist had called him that. _

Shaking his head furiously he bit his lip. _'Not now Katsuki,'_ he thought, muttering a quick yes to his dad at the same time.

"Ok," his dad said. He sounded distracted.

Probably holding mom back, Bakugou mused, lips twitching slightly at the image of his dad on the phone with one hand and holding the hag back with the other.

"I'm gonna pick you up ok? You can stay with us for the day and then your mom will drop you off at the dorms tomorrow. Does that sound good to you kiddo?"

Fuck no. That sounded terrible.

"You don't have to old man," he said, eyes continuously scanning the streets. A habit he'd gladly developed after the kamino incident. "Aizawa-sensei is picking me up."

"Oh," the disappointment was evident in the old man's voice. Bakugou bit his tongue.

It was for the best. If he had to deal with the hag in the jittering state he was in currently? Bakugou would probably blow the roof of the house, his mom along with it. No, this was for the best.

"Ok son," his dad said, a little more warmth returning to his words. "Stay safe ok?"

Bakugou nodded, allowing a soft noise to escape his throat so his dad knew he'd heard him. "Now I'm just going to pass the phone back to you-"

Bakugou's finger pressed the end bottom._ 'Yeah right as if he was _ _gonna let the hag rile him up again.' _

Instead he dialed in a familiar number he knew by heart and pressed the phone back against his ear.

Waiting for the call to get through.

"Hello?"

The recipient of the call sounded exhausted as hell. Voice sounding scratchy and distant from likely being woken up from his nap. "I'm at the hospital entrance," Bakugou said, device tightening slightly in his grip. "Could you come get me Aizawa-sensei?"

Some shuffling could be heard from the other side, until Aizawa's voice came through more clearly from the phone. "Go back inside idiot. I'll be there in ten."

Bakugou let his shoulders relax in what felt like poorly disguised relief. "Just don't fucking make me wait too long," he snapped at his teacher, before ending the call and walking back inside.

Aizawa worried too much.


	4. Watch Out

When Aizawa finally arrived Bakugou was already waiting for him outside. Hands stuffed in his pocket and face permanently etched into a frown, he watched silently as his teacher got out of the car slowly and made his way over to him.

"Relax Aizawa-sensei," he said when his teacher came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, the most unimpressed look in his eyes. "I just stepped outside a minute ago."

"You shouldn't have stepped outside at all," the vigilante-hero muttered, making the trek up the stairs. Bakugou scoffed at him but didn't say anything else. It wouldn't really do to piss of his homeroom teacher after he just woke him up and made him drive all the way to the hospital.

Standing on one step below Bakugou's level, Aizawa took to carefully checking him over for injuries before saying anything else. "Anything I need to know kid," he asked, nodding to himself slightly pleased that his student hadn't gone and got himself half killed.

"Fuck no," Bakugou bit out. "I didn't fucking get myself hurt in a fucking hospital teach, what do you take me for?"

Aiwaza sighed throwing a casual arm over the boy's shoulders. "I can never tell with you. You could have just as easily picked a fight with a nurse for all I know."

Bakugou scoffed up at his teacher but choose not to shrug Aizawa off. Something Eraserhead might have noticed but did not comment on. Bakugou silently appreciated him for that.

There was a reason why he was Bakugou's favorite teacher after all. Not that he would ever tell him that. God knew Katsuki would rather face the league of villains again before ever admitting to something that humiliating.

"Let's go," Aizawa said, beginning to lead his young charge to the car he'd parked in front of the hospital.

Quietly they both got in. It wasn't a comfortable silence that surrounded them as they closed the doors behind them, but it certainly wasn't an awkward one either.

Fastening his seatbelt Bakugou leaned his head against the tinted window and allowed his eyes to fall shut, letting the movements of the car almost lull him to sleep, as Aizawa pulled out of the parking lot and turned it in the direction of the school.

They drove like that for a while. Bakugou slowly drifting between wakefulness and a state of oblivion, while Aizawa seemed mostly content with keeping his eyes on the road and mouth shut. Bakugou liked it that way. In his sleep addled mind he found it nice that someone wasn't talking his ear off for once. Not like the morons he hung out with daily that couldn't for some reason keep their mouths shut for even a second. It was a welcoming change of pace.

Of course, it didn't last long as Aizawa sadly opened his mouth to eventually to talk to him.

"How was Kirishima?" he asked casually.

"Good."

Aizawa only hummed in reply, which Bakugou quickly translated as a silent invitation to elaborate further. Aizawa was like that sometimes. Just when Bakugou needed it the most. He never forced him to talk and always made sure he had room to back out of any conversations if he wanted to.

Bakugou doubted All Might could ever have that kind of tact despite being his role model and idol.

Maybe because his homeroom teacher wasn't forcing him to say anything is why Bakugou said what he said without thinking. "I think Best Jeanist is going to die teach."

His teacher's fingers stilled from drumming against the wheel for a second. "Why do you say that?" the man asked, tone careful not to betray any emotions.

"Because I killed him," was Bakugou's lightning fast reply, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice. He still refused to look at his teacher. Eyes remaining closed and face tilted away.

"Did you blow him up?" there was certain level of curiosity to Aizawa's words, enough to make Bakugou snort in surprise and open his eyes.

"Seriously sensei?" he asked. "I just told you I killed the former number four hero and your first question is how I did it?"

Aizawa shrugged. "Don't keep me in suspense Bakugou. Did you or did you not?"

"No," Katsuki snapped incredulously. "I didn't do anything to him."

Aizawa had been observing him from the corner of his eye and with his outburst looked away "Then how is it that you killed him exactly? Do you have a telekinetic ability that you have yet to enlighten me about?"

His teacher wasn't taking him seriously.

Crossing his arms, the blonde scowled murderously at his teacher. "Stop trying to be funny Aizawa-sensei," he said with a frown. "You're fucking terrible at it."

"That's your opinion," his vigilante pointed out. "The other heroes think I'm hilarious."

"Well that's not fucking concerning at all."

Aizawa snorted at that, clapping a hand quickly over his mouth to muffle the noise, shocking the shit out of Katsuki in the process.

'_He didn't even know Aizawa -sensei was capable of laughing.' _

Now grinning widely at him, Aizawa suddenly reached over the seat to ruffle his hair. The action both rough and affectionate in nature.

"You didn't kill Tsunagu you brat," he said. "He's a pro hero. It's the job of a hero to risk their lives. It's our job to run into the fire for you kids and the public. We signed up for this. Don't undermine his sacrifice by making it about you."

Aizawa's eyes softened slightly at Bakugou's own widening eyes meeting his at those words. With one last pat he let his arm drop before Bakugou had the opportunity to swat it away. "You wouldn't want someone to take away your sacrifice after you go pro now would you?" he finished.

"No," Bakugou said reluctantly.

"There you go kid."

Further conversation was interrupted however, for a deafening boom shook the ground they were driving on all of a sudden. Clutching at the door handle to stop himself from being flung forward, Bakugou's head shot up as he pressed his face sharply against the window, letting his eyes scan the scenery outside.

_'The distant sound came from behind us', _Bakugou noted, horror settling into his bones.

His stomach dropped. Suddenly feeling nauseated as all the lighthearted emotions he had been feeling talking to his teacher washed away quickly. _'He couldn't be this unlucky could he? It just wasn't possible.' _

But a quick call to Aizawa-sensei following soon after the explosion, confirmed all his fears. Snapping back into a professional mode, the vigilante-hero answered some rapid fired questions coming from the other side of the phone, while also asking some of his own.

Before Bakugou even had a chance to decipher the one-sided conversation, the car had swiveled around recklessly and back towards the direction they came from. Aizawa gunning the engine and pushing the car as fast as it would go.

"The hospital?" Bakugou questioned. His own words sounding distant and unsure even to himself.

His teacher nodded sharply. Fingers gripping tightly around the wheel and taking a sharp turn to avoid oncoming traffic. "Yeah," he answered. "It's under attack."


	5. Being A Hero

Bakugou flung himself out the door. Not even waiting for the car to come to a stop as soon as the smoking building and the terrified fleeing civilians came into full view. Aizawa-sensei wasn't far behind him.

"Bakugou," his teacher called out, rushing of after him. "Bakugou stop."

Katsuki elected to ignore him. Rounding the car instead and putting on a burst of speed to reach the front door as soon as possible.

He didn't make it very far. Strong yet thin material circling his body expertly as soon as he took another step in the direction of the chaos, freezing him in his place. It almost threw the blonde's memories back to his first day at U.A with Deku and his new quirk and first meeting Aizawa, but he quickly shook the flashback off, and started to struggle against the bonds in earnest.

"Let me go," he snarled, twisting his arms this way and that and forcefully pulling at the material with his restricted hands while simultaneously kicking up a storm with his legs.

"Bakugou."

" .go," he snapped. The desperation to save his best friend overriding any common sense he might have previously possessed.

'_Why isn't he letting me save shitty hair?' _ he thought, worry almost clogging his throat.

"Bakugou."

'_Doesn't he trust me?' _

"Bakugou!"

_He couldn't breathe. Everything was bleeding into each other. What was going on. He needed to get out. He needed to save- save who? Red hair. Yes. He needed to save red riot. Shitty hair. His best friend. Why couldn't he breathe again? _

Suddenly his face snapped harshly to one side. A stinging sharp pain blossoming against his cheek from where a hand had met it.

'_What?' _Bakugou thought, slightly dazed._'Did Aizawa-sensei just slap him?' _

"Katsuki, kid you with me now?"

Stunned, Bakugou looked up at his favorite teacher who was slowly putting his hand down. "Did you just hit me?" he questioned. More curious than mad.

Aizawa's face pinched at that. Almost as if it had physically hurt him doing what he did to snap Bakugou out of his funk. Bakugou didn't get what the big deal was. He was hyperventilating while people were dying in there, didn't really leave much options now did it.

Aizawa most have seen his train of thought through his eyes, for he sighed and brought the palms of his hands up to cup gently around his face. Bakugou couldn't help but grimace in disgust at the rare, open display of affection, but still didn't try to move away from it at all.

Maybe he just needed Aizawa's grounding presence a lot more than his pride would currently allow.

Either way he remained still, silently soaking up the attention and rare show of affection despite feeling less of a hero for doing it.

"Listen kid," the vigilante-hero finally said, fingers still resting gently against Bakugou's cheeks. "I need you to stay here." Patting him lightly on the red side of his face, he shook his head sadly when Bakugou tried to argue.

"You don't have your hero license, and I can't afford to be distracted worrying about you while in there saving lives. You need to stay here kid so I know that you're at least safe even if nobody else is."

Bakugou glared. But he didn't try to fight him on it, instead nodding reluctantly when met with the man's-tired gaze.

Moving his hands from his face and over to his shoulders at the answer, Aizawa squeezed them tightly in reassurance. Face still drawn in a concerned frown.

Shrugging him off as best as he could, Bakugou deliberately turned away from him. He knew an apology when he saw one, but Katsuki didn't want a fucking apology, he wanted to help.

Biting his bottom lip hard, he tried not to let his teacher glimpse the hopelessness in his eyes. "Shitty-hair's in there teach," he said slowly. Swallowing thickly and running the tip of his tongue over his chapped lips. "He's injured and he's probably not gonna be able to move so-"

"I know," Aizawa said softly. "I'll keep him safe."

Bakugou's lips quivered and he was fighting hard not to let his arms shake as well. "Okay," he croaked, before he grimaced, cleared his throat loudly and tried again. "Okay."

Aizawa nodded, finally letting him go and echoing his words back to him. "Okay."

With that, Eraserhead turned around and took off in the direction of the hospital.

Bakugou watched him go. Stood there, still and unmoving as his eyes followed his teacher all the way til the vigilante-hero disappeared fully behind closed doors.

Then he was up and moving too._ 'Yeah right, as if he was just gonna wait around like some dumb kid and watch quietly as some shitstains destroyed a fucking hospital.' _He scoffed. '_Aizawa-sensei thought too highly of him.' _

Circling the building rather than going through the front in order to avoid getting caught by the man, he quickly pushed his way through the escaping masses and found himself in front of the back entrance of the hospital.

He grinned._ 'Perfect'. _

Aizawa-sensei might skin him alive for what he was about to do, but that was only if he found out. And he wouldn't, the blonde would make sure of it. Bakugou would be back before his teacher realized he was even gone.

'_Besides,_' he thought as he ran through the vacant hallways devoid of any scared civilians. _'What was it that fucking Deku always said?' _

**Meddling when you don't need to was the essence of being a hero **

And fuck if Bakugou wasn't about to go meddle right now.


	6. It Can't Be Like This

_The only problem,' _Bakugou thought ducking behind a corner and taking his second flight of stairs two at a time. _'was that he wouldn't be able to go to shitty hair since Aizawa -sensei was most certainly there now.' _

Huffing lightly, he leapt over the last couple of steps and landed softly on his feet.

_What to do now? _

Before he could formulate a plan of action however, he spotted two kids probably no older than that training camp brat hiding underneath a fractured staircase. He screeched to a halt.

"Fuck," he though, turning around quickly and jogging in their direction. All the while being careful to avoid the rubble along the way and making sure he put the least amount of pressure on the cracked floor beneath him. Arriving in front of the brats relatively unscathed except for a couple of cuts on his left shoulder, he opened his mouth to snap at them to fucking get up and get moving-when something from his past hit him so hard he almost stumbled back on his feet.

He remembered walking down the street with Best Jeanist. Meeting a couple of kids. Making them cry. He remembered the hero being disappointed. "You can be better than that Katuski," he'd said shaking his head. Bakugou had snorted and told him he didn't need to tell him shit and to fucking leave him alone damn it. But-

Taking a deep breath, he lowered himself down until he was on a level ground with the little girl. He wasn't good at this type of shit. He hated it. Hated children, but-

"You ok kiddo?" he asked, voice coming out a bit gruff but much less hostile than usual. Unfortunately, the little girl teared up even more when she looked at him, ducking down and hiding her face in the other kid's shoulder. Her small frame slowly starting to shake.

With tears or with terror Bakugou couldn't tell, but something in his chest twisted up seeing her like this.

'_She looked like Denki's baby sister.' _

His heart twisted even more painfully at that comparison. The other kid met his gaze over the crying girl's head and glared murderously at him. There was clear evidence of dried tears in his red rimmed eyes, but the boy didn't seem to care, as he held what most likely was his sister even closer and narrowed his eyes further at Bakugou. Lips wobbling slightly, but frame as tense as someone preparing to fight tooth and nail for what they needed to protect.

Bakugou sighed. He didn't have time for this. But Jeanist-

Scooting himself a bit further from them, he sat down on the ground and tried to look as unthreatening as possible. "I'm not here to hurt you or the girl, kid," he said, tracing unrecognizable patterns on the floor, wondering when the ground would cave under them and swallow them whole. "I just need to get you out of here. You're not the only people in danger you know." Bakugou was trying hard not to meet the kid's eyes, knowing that his own red one's could come off as more threatening than reassuring at the best of times. "I'm a hero and I came to save you"

"You're a hero?"

That was the girl. Bakugou looked up meeting her eyes. As he caught her curious gaze, she squeaked like a mouse and ducked her head down again.

Bakugou looked away quickly. "Yeah," he shrugged. "I came with my teacher and he's probably in the west wing now saving a bunch of fu- a bunch of people. He's cool like that."

"Wow," the little girl breathed. Voice sounding awed and amazed, the previous fear coating it nowhere to be seen now.

Katsuki's lips twitched slightly to the side at that, but he still didn't dare to look up. "What's your hero name?"

That was the boy. He sounded suspicious. And Bakugou felt almost too tempted to look up and meet the suspicion head on, cuz of course he was a fucking hero why the fuck would he lie about that? But he refrained from doing something so utterly foolish. Shitty hair would've had his head for it. This was neither the time or place for such things. Besides, what would the uniform freak think if he picked a fight with fucking toddlers?

"My hero name?" he said slowly. Trying to not give away his tense energy.

"Yeah, your hero name. It's what I asked wasn't it?"

Bakugou almost snorted, biting his lip. Kid had some spunk. "It's-" he started, before feeling slightly stumped. He couldn't say that. It wouldn't sound like a hero name to these kids.

He bit his lip in thought. But then again, he could tell them. Just say his hero name and get it over with. Who cared what they thought of it? Who cared if the little girl was scared? Fuck em. He was trying to save their lives damn it.

He opened his mouth again, to hell with being nice. But then the tiny brunet's frightened eyes burst through his mind and before he knew it, he recklessly swerved to the left and let the first name that wasn't Ground Zero tumble past his lips. "It's Kacchan."

The boy snorted in surprise, amusement clear in his voice, but the girl cooed softly at his reluctant answer, arms coming up to cup her cheeks and the brightest of smiles blossoming on her lips. "That's so cute," she gushed, stepping slightly towards his direction almost unconsciously. "Your hero name is the cutest Kacchan!"

Deku.

She smiled like Deku.

"Yeah yeah," he muttered, arm coming up automatically to ruffle her hair lightly. The tiny brunette pouted at him for it, but she didn't move away.

Bakugou didn't know why that made him feel so unspeakable lighthearted.

"It's a dumb name Hatsue," the boy said, also now emerging from underneath the staircase slightly.

"It's not," she retorted sticking out her tongue. A childish annoyance around her frame.

"It's too," her brother snapped, and Bakugou found his lips widening even further.

'_Dumb kids,' _he thought in what almost felt like fondness.

And then the staircase caved. The structure too frail to hold its own weight any longer.

"No!" Bakugou screamed. Words being torn out of his throat as he threw himself towards the children in desperation. "Get down Now!"

And the world broke down in chaos. The last thing Katsuki saw was that innocent smile falling of Hatsue's face and being replaced by sheer terror.

'_It couldn't end like this.' _

The world went dark.


	7. Dumb Brats

Bakugou came to with small tufts of brown hair obscuring his vision. Soft sniffling sounds emitting near his chest and a heavy weight pinning down his arm.

"Stop crying Hatsue."

'_The boy?' _Bakugou thought. Mind feeling too foggy and hazy to register much more than the children's presence around him.

"He's not dead. I know he isn't. He can't be. So stop crying Hatsue. Kacchan is safe. I promise."

'_The children? Who were they? Why was he with them? Were they safe? Why was he worried about their safety? What was going on? Where was he?' _

Bakugou's head was swimming. He couldn't formulate a concrete reason as to why anything was currently happening. Why he couldn't move. Why he couldn't remember or why these kids were with him now.

He groaned.

Suddenly the soft sniffles of Hatsue? Stopped, and the watery voice of the boy shot up in octaves as he exclaimed something in surprise. Bakugou couldn't hear it for his ears had started ringing loudly as he started to come to. Making Bakugou's stomach churn and his throat clog up.

"Oi Hatsue get away from him. He's looking a little green."

The weight on top of his chest vanished, and Katsuki for brief of moments missed the comforting presence before he was shooting up into a sitting position and hurling the content of his stomach onto the floor.

He coughed twice to clear his throat, spitting out the remaining of the hospital meal he'd had with shitty hair earlier today.

"Ew."

Bakugou tilted his head to the side, meeting the eyes of the little twerp he most have risked his life. "Shut the fuck up brat," he drawled. Wiping his mouth with the back of his shirtsleeve. The kid grimaced in disgust, but chose to forfeit his hostile stance, as he looked over to his sister and quickly patted her on the back.

"Told you your Kacchan would be alright Sue-chan!"

The little girl; Hatsue Bakugou reminded himself, had been standing to his left. Eyes wide and puffed cheeks glistering with salty tears. Her tiny fists were clenching at the bottom of her blue dress.

Bakugou felt his heart soften the tiniest bit. "Come here," he said brusquely, his good arm waving her closer.

She did.

Practically flew herself into his side, tiny hands clenching at his torn shirt. "I thought you died Kacchan," she blubbered, rubbing her face into his neck and staining it with her tears. "I thought you died," she wailed.

Bakugou watched her silently. Quietly taking note of his recent injuries. His right arm was pinned down by a slab of concrete. It looked bad.

Katusiki briefly wondered if not feeling any pain for the time being should be alarming to him before quickly dismissing the thought and turning slightly to observe his legs.

They looked fine, but a nice cut was running from his ankle and splitting his pants all the way to his left knee. It was bleeding sluggishly. _ 'That's going to be a problem, _' he mused.

Bringing up an arm to circle around the crying girl, Bakugou thanked whatever higher powers out there, that both these brats came out of the incident relatively unscathed. God knew he would never sleep again if he let these kids die. He already didn't sleep enough. If he had to see tiny dead bodies every time he closed his eyes, well, sign him up for the psych wards because Bakugou was seriously going to have a mental breakdown,

"It's ok," he muttered into her hair. "I'm ok. The other brat which I'm guessing is your brother is ok too, and so are you. So stop crying kid."

She didn't, but Bakugou wasn't really expecting her too. Instead he was keeping a closer eye on the other kid who had for some reason while he was distracted gone surprisingly still.

Following the direction of the kid's eyes Bakugou was again looking at his injured leg. "It's nothing," he found himself saying, nudging the brat with his toes. "I'm fine kid. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not worrying," the kid cried, whirling around to face him. "I just think you could bleed out and stuff and that's not good. So you should fix that."

Not worrying at all indeed.

"What's your name?" he asked rather than point out how the brat in fact was freaking out on his behalf.

"Matsu," he mumbled, water lining his eyes.

'_Great, _' Bakugou thought. _'Another crying kid .' _

Can't have that.

"Come on brats," he said putting on his best authoritative Aizawa-sensei voice. "Stand back and let me get out of here."

He didn't even have to push little Hatsue away as she jumped back, looking even more worried that she would get in the way of him saving himself. Bakugou ruffled her hair again.

'_Now then,' _ he thought when he was sure the kids had put sufficient enough distance between him and the broken staircase. _'Let's see what I can do here.' _

Turns out it wasn't much of fucking anything he could do. His arm was pinned, he could still feel it so that was a positive, but there was no way in hell he could explode himself out of this without risking a significant damage to his own person and the likelihood of losing his hand all together

Fuck.

"Um, Mr. Kacchan?"

Bakugou almost threw up at that butchering of his already butchered name. But non the less turned around to face Matsu. "What?"

The kid looked uncertain. Wringing his fingers and chewing on his bottom lip. But there was a certain determination glinting in his eyes that made Bakugou pay attention to his next words.

"I can melt that thing if you want. I'm really good so I promise I won't hurt you."

Bakugou blinked. _ 'Well wasn't that something? Maybe the world didn't hate him after all.' _

"How good?" he asked.

"Good enough to melt a whole picture frame and leave the picture safe!" the kid exclaimed throwing his arms to the side and puffing out his chest.

He was obviously proud of his quirk, and honestly Bakugou couldn't blame him. It was an awesome quirk.

"Racoon-eyes would love you," he muttered to himself before gesturing for the kid to get closer and after a brief observation told him exactly which part to melt.

They worked in tandem for what felt like hours but was honestly probably no longer than five minutes. After it was done, Bakugou slowly lifted his bruised arm from the melted concrete and flexed it gently. He winced.

'_Probably sprained,' _he thought. But it was out now, and he was free to move around the way he wanted to. Ripping his shirt even more, he tore a piece of and began to bandage up his leg. It wasn't the most sanitary approach nor the most effective, but it was all he had, and for now it had to be enough.

Looking up, his eyes caught the two kids huddled to the side watching him carefully. He frowned, before his expression softened again. "I'm ok," he said, repeating his previous words. "Thanks for saving me kid."

They were on him before he even knew. Both of them clinging onto him like he would disappear if they let up for even a minute.

'_Idiots,' _he thought as his arms came to pat them briskly on the back.

'_Dumb brats making me soft.' _


	8. I'm Coming

"Let's get out of here," Bakugou said when the kids finally calmed down enough. "I need to bring you back to your parents. I'm sure they are worried."

Hatsue sniffed a couple of times trying hard to stop herself from crying and Matsu wasn't much better. Sighing Bakugou stood up, left leg shaking slightly under him but still able to hold him up. Leaning down he picked up both kids, ignoring the pain that burned across his injured wrist. "Let's go," he muttered as he starting to walk.

Both of them just clung to him, not saying a word and not making a noise except for the soft whimpering' breaking out every now and then.

It was a slow going. Their combined weight putting unwanted pressure on his leg, and him barely able to stop his arm from shaking where it was holding Matsu up against his chest. The silent crying dampening up his shirt wasn't helping either.

Fuck, this was agonizing. How far away was the entrance anyways?

It felt like he'd walked miles upon miles by the time he spotted the backdoor, and Bakugou found himself heaving a huge sigh of relief when his gaze connected with it. '_Finally,' _he thought, eyes almost dropping shut with exhaustion.

For a second it had felt like this journey was never gonna end.

"Oi kids," he said, making both their tiny heads shoot up simultaneously to stare up at him. "We're almost there. Do you know where your parents are or would be? Did they tell you something when you got separated?"

Hatsue didn't seem to be in any shape or form to answer shit, as the little girl just tucked her head right back into his shoulder and shuddered slightly. Tiny puffs of air hitting his collarbone as the kid tried her hardest not to make a noise. Bakugou frowned. Face pinching up into a worrying mask almost identical to the one Aizawa-sensei always sported when he was looking at Icyhot, as he though quickly on whether it was wise to press for an answer now, or just wait till they at least reached the door.

Fortunately, the other brat didn't look to have the same problems as pigtails, as he chewed up his bottom lip in thought and quickly nodded to himself with conviction with whatever conclusion he'd arrived at. "I don't know where they are Kacchan," he answered slowly. "But I remember where mommy parked her car when we came to visit grandpappy.

Katsuki sighed in relief. "That's good enough kiddo. Now hang on tight, I'll get you to your mom."

Matsu nodded, head bouncing up and down vigorously as he let a tiny smile dance across his lips. "Ok," he said, tucking his head against his shoulder once more.

The rest of the way was completed in an almost comfortable silence. Of course there was nothing really comfortable about walking with fucking burning injuries, two kids clinging to you and making your way through a hospital that was currently under a fucking attack, but Katsuki would take his small blessings where he could get them.

When he finally saw the familiar door, his shoulders almost sagged in relief.

Reaching the outside world felt like life was forcefully rushing back into him again, while tremendous burden fell off his shoulders at the same time. The minute Bakugou set foot passed the threshold he closed it eyes for a second and enjoyed the cold evening air brushing gently across his cheeks.

That split second of deviated attention was all it took for a random a crying woman to fling herself at him immediately. Ugly tears mixed with distorted make up running down her cheeks and a frazzled look of worry marring her face. "My babies!" she cried, dragging both of her kids out of his arms in such a hurry that it made Bakugou wince slightly in pain at the forceful action. Making his automatic scowl resurface quickly, as he glared down at the crazy woman who was now clinging to what clearly was her children with all her might. "My sweet, innocent babies!"

Bakugou just stood there for a second, watching her. Feeling relief that he'd managed to get these kids all the way to safety; a fleeting thought of _'most be nice to be missed' _passing through his head too quick to dwell on, while he observed at the same time the clearly distraught woman with barely hidden contempt of his own because fuck, he'd just saved her fucking kids. The least she could do was show some fucking respect.

'_Well then,'_ he thought after standing there for a while. This woman was apparently not gonna let up anytime soon, and the kids wouldn't probably notice him gone, so he shook his head and turning around slowly to head back into the hospital. _ 'It's time to get back to work.' _

But before he could fully turn away from the tear felt reunion, a tiny familiar voice called out to him in panic. "Kacchan!"

He paused.

It was Matsu. Bakugou was sure he could tell that bratty voice from anywhere now, but he didn't look back to meet the kid's eyes. He couldn't.

It didn't seem to deter the kid any though, for he carried on as if he hadn't been waiting for a reply in the lulled silence in the first place.

"I'll be a hero just like you Kacchan," he called out, voice breaking slightly from what was probably as a result of his excessive crying all the way here. "Just you wait! I'll be the best hero ever. And then I'll come and save you next time!"

Bakugou couldn't help but look at him then, snorting with amusement before turned his hand into a fist and thrusting it in Matsu's direction. "I'll hold you to that kiddo."

Matsu nodded back at him, sheer determination painted across his face, eyes still glistering wetly, but lips drawn into a firm line. His tiny fist came to meet him half way through the air. "I'll be a hero just like you," he repeated.

The blond teen just grinned even wider at him. "You should probably stop being a crybaby first brat."

"Fuck you," the kid laughed to the background sound of his mother's horrified gasp, as he smiled brightly up at the young hero, not a trace of annoyance in his eyes from the light jab at his person.

Bakugou had never understood why old people always had the urgent need to pinch kid's cheeks when they did something disgustingly adorable, but for just a second, he had wanted to reach out and do the exact same thing to the little brat and wasn't that a terrifying feeling.

Instead he settled for biting his lip hard to prevent himself from outright laughing and only let his mirth dance across his eyes.

Interacting with Matsu had almost made him forget about Hatsue, but as he turned around to look at her, he found his grin slipping just the tiniest bit.

Hatsue was standing next to her mom, looking torn between hiding behind her or to come talk to him too and Bakugou didn't know why he wanted to fix that, why he wanted to wipe away that scared look in her eyes. But fuck it if these tiny, annoying kids hadn't gotten under his skin from the short time he had known them. Crunching down yet again like Best Jeanist had once told him, he got down to her level and briefly noticing how her mother tried to drag her behind her back.

He internally scoffed. _Fuck, he just brought her back her fucking kids what else did the bitch want from him? _

Turning away from the suspicious glare of the mother. Brushing aside how it looked eerily similar to the one her kids had sent him when he first met them, he softened his gaze and met little Hatsue's own with what he hoped was friendliness to some degree. "I'm glad you're ok kid," he said. "Take care of your brother for me ok? He needs it."

She nodded, a wobbly smile forming on her face. Hand still clutched between her mom's protective one.

Still, she took the tiniest of step forward when it looked like Bakugou was about to leave and brought her free hand up in similar manner as he had done with Matsu. "You're my hero Kacchan," she exclaimed loudly. "You're not scary at all and your eyes are super pretty!"

Bakugou didn't say anything, somehow trying to blink away the stinginess in his eyes.

_What the fuck was making him so fucking emotional today, damn. _

But he did lift both his arms despite the throbbing pain bursting through one of them, and fist bumped both kids in the air.

"I'll see you around brats," he said.

Nodding at them both once more, tilting his chin in acknowledgment in the direction of their mother and swiftly turning around without a second look to run back into the unstable building, a clear plan of action forming in his head as he moved.

He was going to go find the uniform freak. The former pro hero was probably in the same room he was in the last time he saw him, which was on the opposite side of the explosions. Bakugou still had that weird feeling of wrongness coursing through his veins that he'd had ever since he got kicked out of the sick hero's room though. And although the young hero would never admit to it to anyone if questioned, he would definitely feel ten fucking times better if he knew the pro hero was at least safe from all this mess. So taking the stairs two at a time while forcefully ignoring his injuries, he made his way slowly but surely towards the direction of the former number four hero.


	9. Over My Dead Body

Bakugou didn't see anyone else on his way to the hero. Theoretically that made sense since the attack had been focused on the other side of the hospital, but that in of itself reeked of shadiness.

This was a hospital, what was the chances that there were enough useful combat quirks amongst the staff to contain such a devastating attack until the pro-heroes arrived?

Not fucking likely in his opinion.

The blonde teen licked him lips in thought as he ran up the stairs with a little bit more urgency than before. He didn't like this feeling crawling up his chest telling him to hurry. Something was going on, and Bakugou would be damned if he didn't dig up the answer with his own two hands and figure it out.

Villains just didn't attack a fucking hospital for no reason. And as far as he could tell, their attacks hadn't been focused on the bottom half of the hospital where most of the strong medications were stored, so what the fuck were they after?

Fuck, Aizawa-sensei would probably kill him if he found him wandering around these halls, but Bakugou couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Besides, he was only going to check on the uniform freak anyway, and maybe save a couple of dumb civilians if he found them along the way before he got out. He would be back before anyone noticed him missing amongst the chaos.

Biting his lip hard he almost cursed when his weight shifted accidently over to his not so good leg.

"Fucking hell," he grunted_. Had his legs become worse all of a sudden or was it just him _overreacting_?_

'_I can't afford to slow down,'_ he thought. A grimace taking over his face, as he continued to drag himself forward. _'I'm just going to check on him and then I'll go back before Aizawa-sensei returns. Fucking easy Katsuki so stop fucking whining.'_

He didn't know why it was do damn important to get to the man, but something was tugging at his very core to get there, and Bakugou hadn't come this far in life to not listening to his gut. That's the only way he had survived living under the same roof as his mom after all. Fuck if (despite everyone's belief that he loved picking fights) Bakugou hadn't given ground to the hag every time shit went out of control. He knew how to back down, and he knew how to carry on. Both skills he learned through his mother's temper and both skills that had served him well on his journey to become the number 1 hero.

"Come on," he told his body, stepping off the last staircase and jogging slowly in the direction of Jeanist's room. "Don't fucking stop now."

Nearing the familiar corner, he slowed down even more. Wouldn't really do to be out of breath when he arrived, and Bakugou almost thanked God for that merciful decision for suddenly-

"Ready to move out boys! The heroes could be here any second so let's go!"

Katsuki froze where he stood. What the fuck?

Silently slinking back behind the left corner, he crouched down low and held his breath. _'Villains where here? Why? And that voice was coming from Best Jeanist's room. The only room in this hall. What the actual fuck?'_

What was going on?

Taking a deep breath, Bakugou tried to quickly assess his situation. From the female voice he'd heard, there were clearly more than one villain present. Two males at least and adding her made it three fucking villains. Bakugou knew he was great and all, but he was currently not in the best of shapes and they had a fucking hostage, so reluctant as he was to admit it, he needed to call for help.

"It took forever to put him under you know. Everyone yapping about his rights blah blah blah. Bunch of fucking morons."

Bakugou stilled. They had sedated Jeanist? This was bad. And why did that woman sound so fucking familiar. Her voice was tickling a memory in the back of his mind, but try as he might, Bakugou just couldn't pinpoint that particular lilt in her voice.

"Nicolas didn't want it ya know. But the tubby was ready to put him under if the blonde kid hadn't opened his damn mouth and whined about it. You know how hard it would have been getting him out if he was fucking awake? String us up by our cloths he would."

'_Wait a minute.'_ Bakugou's mouth went dry._ 'That sounded like-'_

Moving forward carefully, Katsuki held his breath as he peeked around the corner and spotted the villains making their way out of the former hero's room. They weren't even trying to be quiet from the looks of things.

What stole his breath away was the short woman in the nurse outfit though. Eyes zeroing in on her, Bakugou's heart almost slammed out of his chest. Fucking hell! That was nurse mouse! The woman who'd suggested sedating uniform freak when he'd started coughing his lungs out. And Nicolas? What did that even mean? What the fuck was going on?

Bakugou gritted his teeth. It didn't matter now. He needed to do something, and fast.

Because nurse mouse from earlier today was standing in the midst of what he could count was around six fucking villains, casually complaining to a tall man with red main as she dragged out a hospital bed with what looked to be-

Katsuki's stomach dropped. "Uniform freak!" he mouthed, terror seizing his entire body at once.

_They were fucking kidnapping uniform freak!_

They most have been the one's to orchestrate the attacks on the other side of the hospital all with the intent of getting their hands on the former pro-hero while he was alone and defenseless. Or they were at least taking advantage of the situation at present.

Gritting his teeth so hard he could have snapped bones between them, Bakugou clenched his fists; ignoring the pain that momentaraly flared up from his injured wrist. _'Bastards.'_

Fuck if Bakugou was just gonna let them take the man who probably was too weak to even breath on his own and let him be dragged outside the fucking hospital with a bunch of lunatics. He might not be in the best shape right now, but come hell or high water, the only people leaving here today with anyone were these villains in body bags with him.

Katsuki was going to protect Best Jeanist just like the man tried to protect him. He owed him that. It was what heroes did.

He was not letting them take Best Jeanist. Not while he was still breathing.


	10. I'm Alone But I'll Save You

'_Think Katsuki,' _he told himself, clenching his fists hard. _'Think damn it.' _

He knew he couldn't take them all on his own. With quirks unknown and with their numbers they definitely had the advantage over him and Bakugou knew he couldn't afford to lose here, so what to do? It's not like he could let these fuckers just walk out of the hospital with their fucking prize either.

'_Think Katsuki. Think.' _

Body shaking from head to toe with a nervous mixture of pain and adrenaline, he tried his damnest to clear his mind and see the best path to a successful mission. He didn't need to get out of this with his body intact, he just needed to get out of it alive. Every other worry could wait till he saved the uniform freak.

'_Ok,' _he told himself, eyes still focused on the band of villains lurking in the hallway. '_Send a quick text to Aizawa-sensei first. Wait till the last moment to give the heroes as much time to get here as possible and then attack and hold them back till backup arrives.' _

The plan sounded decent enough, and if Bakugou was careful, maybe he could even pull it off, but fuck it felt like he was jumping into a non-survivable situation. Lips twitching at the corners, he found himself grinning widely._'Then why the fuck did he feel giddy about it?' _

'_Fuck, I'm insane,' _he though, almost snorting in amusement as he reached into his left pocket to fish out his phone. Aizawa-sensei was going to lose his shit.

Still, Bakugou knew his punishment would be a small price to pay for saving Jeanist's life and his own to be fair. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone, but Bakugou wasn't as stupid as to think he could win this on his own. Maybe if he knew about their quirks, maybe if he wasn't already injured, but he didn't have that luxury, and honestly, he didn't care. Real heroes didn't back down. He hadn't before, and he wouldn't today.

Taking his eyes away from the villains for a split second, he quickly turned on the phone before focusing back on them.

He stilled.

Fuck.

Eyes jumping frantically amongst the villains, he drew in a short breath. Heart thumping harshly against his chest.

Bakugou could only count five of them now. Which meant-

"Shit," he hissed, unimaginable pain bursting through his side as he twisted to the left just a second too late to avoid the glinting metal and almost throwing up from putting too much weight on his injured leg. Biting it all back, he forced his eyes and met those of his attacker. There was no time to linger on old injuries, not when real villains had just discovered his location and taken him by surprise.

"Fuck," Bakugou muttered, a shaking hand coming up to rest gingerly on his side atop of what was most likely at least a couple of cracked ribs.

Coughing lightly, he winced internally, eyes refusing to move away from the large boulder of a man hulking by the wall he'd been hiding behind just a moment ago.

_Well shit, now there was really no backing out. _

"Well well well," the high-pitched voice belonging to his assailant tutted as the man licked his lips, eyes tracing Bakugou's body up and down. "Who do we have here?" In his thick hand he was holding what looked to be a giant silver hammer, which he threw to his other hand and back and forth he kept it up, not minding the imbalance or the weight. He almost made it look graceful. The sickening smile was still directed at Bakugou, making the teenager tense. This was bad. Really really bad.

Lifting himself slowly to his full height, the blonde snarled at the taller man. He wasn't going to lose.

Katsuki saw the action coming just a second before it did-

Jumping back quickly, he stumbled into the wall. Jarring his injured side badly. Vision blurring, he bit his tongue and held back a pained whimper. Not here. Never here, but thankfully, although his injuries had flared up like a bitch, he'd avoided the hit of the hammer.

A hammer that came crashing down on his spot, cracking the marble floor and breaking it into tiny little pieces as if it was made of glass.

"You're quick pretty one," the man sing-songed.

When he attacked again, Bakugou was ready. His ribs were protesting vehemently at this point against any slight inch of movement. Fighting him tooth and nail for the right to just stand still for a second.

"Well too fucking bad," Bakugou growled, shifting to the balls of his feet, putting the hand not supporting his side on the floor and using it to flip himself over into a quick summersault that simultaneously let him get away from his enemy, while also letting him land a swift and hard kick under the man's chin. He almost threw up at the blinding pain that greeted him on his landing but bit it back with sheer determination

Burly howled in pain, stepping back and gripping his face in pain. Dropping the hammer out of sheer reaction to the pain. Bakugou grinned savagely. Flipping over again and putting even more distance between them. He knew the others had noticed him by now and were either waiting for burly to get rid of him or taking their time to come to his aid. Either way, Bakugou needed to finish this one off fast before the situation got even more complicated.

'_Hold on Katsuki,' he_ told himself. _'Hold on just a little bit longer. You can do this. You know you can. Just hold on. Don't be a fucking coward.' _

…Fight...

...Fight...

…Fight Katsuki...

_Be a fucking hero _

"Oi," he called out. Barely keeping his voice from wavering. "The fuck you uglies want with the uniform freak anyways?"

Burly had recovered some of his bearings by then, for he only smiled his creepy smile again, and leaned down to pick up the hammer he had dropped.

Served him right. The bitch.

"You shouldn't be here beautiful," the man said. A bloody smile matching the mania in his eyes. Wagging his finger at Bakugou, he put the hammer against his hip and cocked his head to the side. Silver hair falling into waving curls around his shoulder. "Nicolas doesn't belong to the hero society. We're here to bring him home."

Katsuki scowled. "Fuck you."

The bleached villain bit his lip and fluttered his eyes at those words, making Bakugou swallow down the bile rising up his throat. "You're sick."

The man just burst into guffawing laughter at that. "No, just interested."

Bakugou hissed at him in answer. Arm still protectively curling around his waist. He wasn't about to underestimate this man, but God he wanted to bash his face in and feel his bones crush under his fist like glass.

Still-

Burley had managed to get behind him and strike him down without Bakugou even sensing him move. He was most definitely dangerous, and he needed to be fucking careful around this lunatic.

…Breathe Bakugou...

Think.

How was Nicolas Best Jeanist?

Was it even important?

_Don't think about that._

What did he mean Jeanist didn't belong to the hero society?

What the fuck did these people know about him?

_You have bigger things to worry about. _

Why were they here?

Did Jeanist know them?

_Focus. _

_You need to focus. _

...Fight...

You can do this.

...Breathe...

"Hey, that's the brat who wouldn't let me put Nicky under!"

Eyes snapping into a steeling determination, Bakugou shifted his feet slightly without turning his back to Burly. Eyeing psycho-mouse from where he was standing, he contemplated her childish pout while desperately scanning burly for any sign of weakness as he had temporarily turned his gaze towards the woman.

"He came to visit him early today," she continued, pointing an accusing finger at Bakugou. She was frowning from the opposite end of the corridor flanked by her companions, and fuck-

They'd already started loading uniform freak into the elevator while he was distracted by the creep.

Fuck no!

"Give him back," Bakugou barked, heckles rising and muscles tensing even further. This wasn't about being outnumbered anymore. Bakugou wasn't just gonna stand back and watch them swipe his hero under his nose. Over his dead fucking carcass.

Psycho-mouse scowled. "He's not yours to begin with brat." Then her eyes flickered to the briefest of moments to her right.

_To Bakugou's left. _

It wasn't much, but for a guy with his reflexes it was a blessing.

Without a second to think it through, Bakugou swung back hard, before bringing his arm forward with all the strength of a fucking bull and let his explosions fly freely to cover his left side.

Right in the fucking face of burly who had been trying to do the subtle sneak attack on him again. Not this time.

"Nice try fucker," he snarled, pulling back on reflex as psycho-mouse suddenly flung herself at him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he glared with everything he had. Removing his other hand from his side and letting them both dance with explosions. A savage grin finding its way home on his lips.

'_Ignore the pain,' he_ told himself. _'Ignore the fear. Ignore the loneliness. Ignore the hopelessness. Ignore the explosions jolting your injuries. Ignore everything. It's just you now. Jeanist needs you, so fight Katsuki. Fight.' _

Planting his feet, he laughed. Mocking bleach head as best as he could. And from the way the other man's sick smile turned into an ugly frown he managed it pretty well.

He grinned.

"Try harder and I might actually start breaking a sweat!"

Jumping two steps back to put even more of a distance between them, he let his eyes slide over his opponents. The nurse didn't look that strong, and so far, hadn't posed much threat. And burly-

His face looked like shit. Bakugou smirked at him. That was gonna scar for sure. From the way the silver haired man contorted his mouth and eyes, he must have known it too. And damn, it probably had hurt like a bitch too.

That's what he got for being a fucking creep.

Still-

Bakugou's situation hasn't changed much. It was still dire as fuck. He couldn't feel his phone in the back of his pocket anymore. Most have lost it during the fight, which meant calling for backup was out of the question for now.

Two villains were also standing between him and the hero currently being wheeled over to the elevator by the red-haired leader followed by lanky black lady, short-fat who looked nervous and some shadowy figure that reminded Bakugou of the gate dude.

His skin crawled.

He needed to get to them at all cost. Anything less wasn't acceptable.

The lanky black lady had broken away from the others and made her way over to the ongoing fight, however.

Shit.

That raised the enemy numbers Bakugou had to face from two to three. Her whole body was crackling with electrical sparks similar to the one of dunce face.

Bakugou scowled._ 'Knock off-Pikachu.' _

Focusing back on the obstacles standing in front of him, Bakugou choked back all the pain, fear, and suffering and narrowed his eyes.

"I don't have time for you lot," he said. Voice even and face carved out of pure hatred and frustration. "So get the fuck out of my way."

"You scared pipsqueak?" second rate dunce face purred.

Bakugou crouched down and spread his arms wide.

_... Aizawa-sensei was never gonna let him leave the dorms ever again... _

Letting his palms crackle with familiar matching explosions. He took the perfect attacking position.

_...He hoped _ _Aizawa-sensei would get the chance to _ _do that..._

_...He hoped he could see him again... _

Smiling widely at both villains he tilted his head to one side. A clear invitation to get the fuck on with it. He was going to rain hell down on them and attract the attention of all the other heroes with their screams alone.

"Come at me fuckers."

_He hoped he saw shitty-hair again too._

"I'll take you all on!"


	11. I Can Still Move

He moved before they did. A quick upward turn of his left arm leaving powerful explosions flying everywhere, scattering the clutter of villains in front of him.

Burly threw himself to the side while the two-woman ducked out of the way, using some sort of wrist shield to block majority of the damage.

Not leaving them enough room to gather themselves back together, Bakugou quickly advanced on his closest victim.

Lanky of course so him coming and kicked at him. Electricity dancing across her entire body. Ducking low as to avoid the electrical charged leg aimed for his face, Katsuki swung his own leg out sideways, kicking the woman's feet from right under her. And not waiting a single moment for her to gather her balance, he smashed his fist downward and right into her shocked face.

The woman hit the ground with a sickening crack of her skull. Bouncing once then twice before her body twitched and stilled.

Not dwelling on the small moment of victory, Bakugou scoffed scornfully and blasted off from the ground, barely missing the giant hammer aimed at his back.

Cursing under his breath, he tried to propel himself mid motion in the air, his aim being to land behind burly and try and catch the idiot with an explosion fueled spin, but his body decided yet again to betray him, and all Bakugou managed to accomplish in the throats of pain, was to land awkwardly against the wall and watch both standing villains corner him where he stood.

Fuck.

Bouncing lightly in place he prepared himself for the onslaught of attacks coming his way, and sadly he wasn't disappointed. Burly being quick for his size was the first one to throw himself at him, Bakugou twisted his legs around, and flung himself out of the way. Kicking out at the same time and catching Psycho-mouse on the side.

She moaned in pain and he slipped past her downed guard to get behind her and slam a fist full of pent-up fury right between her shoulder blades. Gasping, the tiny woman stumbled uneasily before the shock knocked her down to her knees.

Feeling smug, he tried not to let that sense of satisfaction distract him as once again Burly managed to disappear and reappear too close for comfort.

At this point there was no doubt in Katsuki's mind that the silver-heard man could turn invisible or at least hide his presence somehow. Which made the giant of a creep even more dangerous. Skipping back a couple of steps to yet again put some distance between him and the requiring villain in front of him, Bakugou simultaneously made sure to send off a couple of explosions in the direction of the man. Hoping at least one of them would hit him square in the face.

Unfortunately, all his flimsy attacks missed the man. Bursting against the wall instead and resulting in debris flying everywhere in a cloud of dust, making it even harder for Bakugou to keep track of the man that was already tricky to keep an eye on. Coughing away the dust, the blonde gritted his teeth as the pain he'd been feeling like a dull echo in the back of his mind broke through his composure.

_God, he wanted to throw up. _

Legs shaking under him, Bakugou bit back a groan of pain_. 'Focus,' _he told himself, as his lips drew back into a snarl._ 'Focus damn it!"_

_The fatigue most have set in more than he was aware of, because for a split second he lost track of the nurse, and he _paid dearly_ for that lapse in judgment._

Suddenly a fist connected to the back of his elbow.

He didn't even have time to fully register the crunching sound his arm made before he was pulled back by the hair and with a strength befitting of Deku sent flying through the air. Suspended there for a breath of a moment, Bakugou didn't even have a time to think of lessening the damage of the impact, before he was cutting through the clutter of hospital chairs by the corner and slamming into them, back first with a painful thud.

He screamed.

The crushed bones feeling like mush where his elbows used to be. And Bakugou didn't think he'd ever felt such agonizing, burning chasm of utter physical suffering in his life.

Laying there on the ground, he found himself staring lifelessly at the cracked ceiling.

Mouth still open in a silent after image of his throat wrenching wail. He didn't know how long he'd cried out, how long he'd been overpowered by his own pathetic pain, but by the time he gathered his senses under him, Bakugou found himself face up on the cold hard floor. Fallen chairs uncomfortably digging into his back.

Blinking sluggishly, he tried to take in a deep breath. When that didn't work, he tried to pull himself back on his feet. Lifted his shaking right arm to support his weight so he could rise from the ground.

He couldn't.

His body refused to move.

_Fuck._

Laughter filtered in through all the fog clouding his mind, and he could distinctly hear Burly unmasked glee as the creepy man laughed his fucking head of at his predicament.

Maybe this had been a bad idea? Maybe everything he'd ever done resulting in villains laughing at him should have served as a fucking warning. Bakugou should have just remained in that stupid car and just listened to Aizawa-sensei. This was his fucking fault. He once again got himself caught up in shit he couldn't handle.

Head leaning against the cold metal of a broken chair, he swallowed down the iron taste in his mouth. Blinking away the warm sticky blood seeping sluggishly from what he was sure was a cut above his eyebrow, he desperately, once again attempted to push himself back on his feet. Ignoring the sickening burn coursing through his entire body in waves. Still-

The attempt was futile, and from the increased chuckles surrounding him, it must have looked pathetic too.

He sighed. A corner of his mouth lifting up humourlessly while his eyes welled up in frustration.

Aizawa-sensei was gonna kill him. Hell, Bakugou might even let him if these villains didn't steal the honor first.

He could hear them walking towards him. Katsuki wondered if the Pikachu rip off had regained consciousness yet. If she had joined her comrades in his mocking. He wondered if they were gonna kill him slowly.

'_Fucking hell Katsuki'_, he thought annoyed. _'How much more embarrassing are you trying to get. Snap the fuck out of this!'_

Since when had he become such a fucking bitch?

Biting his bottom lip till it bled, he tried to gather back what little semblance of sanity he had left to focus his dulled senses back on his surroundings.

_He knew if he didn't end this now, he was going to die. His body couldn't take much more of this, but how?_

Blinking again up at the cracked ceiling where he lay, Bakugou found himself focusing more and more on the ugly scars decorating the massive white wall above his head.

_...Oh..._

When the villains came to a stop just a couple of feet away from him, the blonde's panic died down and he found himself grinning.

This was perfect. The patchy plan forming in his head wasn't foolproof, but damn if it wouldn't be effective.

A forced smile plastered on his face, Bakugou could have chuckled with glee if just the thought of the action didn't make his ribs cry out in protest.

When the villains didn't come any closer, his smile turned even more sinister. How fucking precious. They were still being cautious around him despite his downed form. He would have felt flattered if he wasn't already annoyed.

"Hey Burly," he called out instead. The giant man moved slightly in his peripheral vision.

"Yes pretty boy?" The tiniest bit of uncertainty colored his tone. He must have felt uneasy about the feral look he was sporting.

Bakugou's smile widened even further. "You should be careful about where you stand moron!"

With that, he raised his right arm with all the strength he could muster and sent off the biggest explosion his broken form could handle.

_Right at the ceiling. _

Deku style.

He almost laughed at the thought. How fucking rich.

The explosion hit, and the ceiling gave away beautifully.

No one had time to react. Their surprised shouts made Katsuki's inside glow with pride.

When it all came crashing down, Bakugou barely managed to roll out of the splash zone. Elbow and side blinding him with pain all the way

Coughing harshly where he lay, Katsuki wondered if caved ceilings were now going be his thing. Shaking his head to expel the bizarre thought, he tried to focus back on the scene.

Dust and debris covered every inch of the previously pristine hall way, and where the villains had once stood was nothing more than a pile of rocks, stones and pile of metal beams.

_He'd just buried at least two people alive. Three, if the black woman had managed to join her teammates, and Bakugou didn't know how to really feel about it all._

But there was no time to dwell on his supposed murder victims, because he had a hero to save, and not a lot of fucking time to do it.

'_I'll worry about it later,'_ he thought, as he put his least abused arm under him and pushed himself onto his knees. Making his vision swim all over again. _'I'll think about it later'._

It was a fucking nightmare to get back on his feet, and after he managed that miracle, it was an even worst nightmare to stay standing on them. Leaning against the wall with a heavy, gut heaving sigh, Katsuki let his body rest for approximately forty-five seconds, before he forced his tired eyes back open and started to push himself forward.

He couldn't afford to rest now. He needed to save Best Jeanist.

_He couldn't fail._

_He wouldn't_

Still- taking the elevator was out of the question. The kidnappers already had a head start on him and who knew what they might have done to the elevator mechanics if they've already gotten off.

No.

Instead with a half-baked idea forming in his head, Bakugou slammed the staircase door open, ripped off more of his shirt to tie his elbow together more firmly and planted his feet under him. Sending a quick prayer out for his short-term survival, he picked up a piece of broken wood from the ground, clenched his teeth around the item and blasted off up the staircase.

Navigating and twisting his body around to avoid the sharp turns while simultaneously making his way through all the floors at breakneck speed would have been tricky on his best days but now, in this situation, in his condition-

Fuck

It felt fucking suicidal.

Slamming shoulder first at the corner leading up to the fourth staircase, Bakugou managed only with sheer determination not to close his eyes from the fever inducing pain.

_Fuck fuck fuck._

He needed a twenty-four-hour sleep after all this. Preferably not in a grave.

Hitting another wall again after a miscalculated too-sharp of a turn, Bakugou almost lost his balance and was barely able to regain it so he could keep going.

'_Not too long now. I just have to fucking hold on.'_

Just hold on.

When he finally laid eyes on the rooftop door, vision blurry and teeth almost biting through the wood, Katsuki had just enough time to register its presence and swiftly twist around so his legs faced the glinting metal door and kick it open with a bang.

Tumbling gracelessly onto the roof, he didn't waste time laying around. Pushed himself up onto his feet once again out of sheer stubbornness and determination.

His mind didn't fully grasp the helicopter, the noise, the escape plan being discussed over a communication system. His brain was far too gone for that. Instead his eyes zeroed in on the villains surrounding Best Jeanist hospital bed, and he glared through sweat soaked hair, blood caked eyes and bruised eyelids. He glared with the fury of thousand suns.

Opening his mouth, Bakugou let the wooden piece hit the floor with a soft clack, before he licked his chapped lips and spoke gruffly through force passed the exhaustion. "Give him back you fucking lunatics or I'll fry you alive!"


	12. Trust Me

"Is that so?" The short one who'd already started moving towards the helicopter where they'd stationed Jeanist said, looking unimpressed.

"Don't underestimate me fucker!"

Bakugou's arms were shaking, his legs were too now that he was paying attention. It all hurt really. It all fucking hurt, but he couldn't let that show. Aizawa-sensei had told them to never become a liability. He wasn't going to be one now when Jeanist needed him.

'_Man up,'_ he told himself, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.

His body couldn't physically fight anymore, he knew that. But-

How could he stop? Was he supposed to turn back around and just walk back down the stairs? What would fucking Deku think of him then? What would Kirishima?

His best friend thought he was a hero. He needed to be a hero.

His vision swam, and Bakugou just barely managed to stop himself from fumbling for a wall to lean on.

He couldn't show any weakness now. Because how else, what else could he do to win, to fight, to protect?

He felt like he was drowning. Like someone was pouring gallons of water down his throat while holding his nose closed. Everything hurt. Bakugou couldn't think anymore, couldn't calm down enough to stop pulsing heartbeat in his chest from drumming out of control.

'_Move,' _his brain said. '_Move, Jeanist needs you, move.' _

His body sang a different tune, though. It cried for relief, for a break, for help.

The blonde spat on the ground and gritted his teeth. Fingers tensing and knees bending down despite the agonizing pain coursing through them. He hadn't lost yet, and he wasn't planning to anytime soon.

_...Fight... _

_Yeah, he could do that. He could do that till he dropped dead or won. It was simple enough. _

"Where are my men?"

Bakugou tried to blink away the dried blood caught between his lashes before focusing back on the redhead standing on the other side of the roof. He managed a slow condescending smirked. "Dead."

The leader frowned. "Is that so?"

Bakugou snorted. "Fraid so. And if you don't hand the uniform freak over I'll gladly fuck you up too."

The older male shook his head at him, eyes creepily soft and almost understanding. Katsuki couldn't help but tense up at the subtle shift in the air. "You're quite the impressive young man aren't you?"

It wasn't a question. Bakugou still gave him the finger in reply, which somehow made fatty growl at him and step towards him threateningly.

Good, at least he had one of these lunatics on edge.

"I can't let you live you know that right?"

Switching back to meeting the leader's eyes, Bakuogu narrowed his own at the sad look painting the man's face. He looked apologetic. "I've heard much about you Bakugou Katsuki." He was sounding out each and every word like they were foreign to him. Which they were, the blonde guessed. These villains all had thick accent when they spoke Japanese. They weren't from here, English maybe?

Bakugou shook his head, he didn't have time to think about any of that right now. "I don't care what the fuck you've heard," he snapped back instead. The vampire looking weirdo just smiled.

"That's a shame. _Please die now."_

Bakugou didn't even have time to react, no time to move, before the leader was on him. He was fast, inhumanly fast. His fist glowed and even as it drew near Bakugou could physically feel the heat on his skin as if standing in front of a burning building.

'_My mistake,' he_ thought, when the side of his face started to burn._'I didn't think he would attack first.' _

... .Mymistake...

Closing one eye, he prepared to tank the hit the best way he could, and it did hit him-

But not as forceful as he'd expected, no, not forceful at all.

Suddenly his body moved, all on its own. One second he was facing down the leader of this villainous crew and the next his back was coming into contact with another body, all the way on the other side of the roof.

"What the fuck?"

His eyes flashed open; cursing at himself for stupidly closing them in the first place. "Get the fuck off me," he snapped, prepared to blast whomever had grabbed him with all he got.

"Relax kiddo, I got you."

He froze. That voice, he knew that voice. That frail sound he'd heard in the hospital room this morning.

"Jeanist?"

The disbelief most have been obvious in his voice, because the chin a top of his head vibrated as the former hero laughed lightly.

"Who else kiddo."

Blinking in shock, Bakugou twisted his body around the best way he could to look back at the man who'd suddenly woken up and saved him at the nick of time. Blatantly he realized after struggling for a second, the very thin threads of cloths wrapped tightly around his body.

Huh?

"You saved me?"

Jeanist's arm came around his waist to hold him closer. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"Oh." His chest hurt for some strange reason. He hadn't gotten hit there had he? He blinked slowly, eyes stinging and lips wobbling uncontrollably. "I- You-," he swallowed, mind too scattered to even begin to focus back on the villains he was supposed to be fighting.

Unable to do anything with his limps locked in place, he ducked his head instead when salty liquid trailed down his cheeks, hitting Best Jeanist's bare arm in small droplets of water.

_How embarrassing. _

"The fuck did you act like a dead man for!" He barked, trying to focus back on the villains staring down at them with poorly concealed interest; voice coming out both throaty and slightly wet.

Katsuki snarled.

Suddenly another hand came up to rest on top of his head, ruffling it gently in a familiar gesture he wasn't so sure he would have accepted from this man any other day. He leaned into it instead.

Jeanist sounded soft when he spoke his next words. _'Soft,' _Bakugou thought. 'Different_ from the villain, more sincere, more honest.' _He trusted this kind of soft.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting," the former hero said. The hand stilling where it lay, and Jeanist breathed, the noise shuddering in his chest and vibrating through Bakugou's back. "I'm here now, so you don't have to fight alone anymore."

He sounded weak, sick, and everything in Katsuki's system screamed that he shouldn't let him. There was no way the uniform freak could fight in the condition he was in. Fuck, he wasn't even capable of fucking standing on his own two legs literally an hour ago. Bakugou had witnessed that personally.

Still-

When the older man removed the threads of restriction on him, when he slowly and agonizingly got back on his feet and placed himself in front of Katsuki's sitting form; staring down the amused villains with a level of ease and nonchalance Bakugou could only envy, he couldn't help but believe from the bottom of his heart that _he_ would be ok.

But that wasn't Bakugou's mission. Him being ok wasn't enough. Not if the former pro hero in front of him would suffer. "Oi Jeanist," he snapped, dragging himself back, one shaking leg at a time until he was standing with his full height tool; using his sprained right hand to rub away the lingering tears. "We both know you can't fight, so sit the fuck down will you."

Best Jeanist looked back at him then, eyes dull and breath still labored where it was wheezing past his lips in tiny puffs of air. His mouth quirked to one side "Do you trust me?"

Clenching his fists, Bakugou nodded.

The older man nodded back before turning away, looking almost regal and untouchable in the hospital clothes he was wearing. "Then have my back."

Bakugou's eyes narrowed and his lips drew up into a loop side grin. He could do that "Ok."

* * *

I wasn't actually planning on bringing back Tsunagu this early, but I guess he couldn't let his intern die while he was just sleeping the whole time. It kinda felt natural to just put him back in. Was conflicted between him or Aizawa, but no way Aizawa ever makes it in time to save his kids, plus- Tsunagu is a pro hero, random drugs are likely not to keep him down as long as it does regular villains. Either way, hope y'all like it!


	13. Change & Chance

"Hello Nicolas," the redhead said then, a tiny but warm smile curling at the corner of his lips.

"It's Tsunagu," Jeanist replied back, easily, fingers drumming gently against his ill-fated hospital pants.

"Is that so?"

A soft breeze ruffled their cloths where they stood, and in that split second it took for their hair to fall back down, the redhead was across the floor and standing just a breath away from Tsunagu's face.

Bakugou startled back. "Oi," he called out, muscles tensing; preparing to fight. Only Jeanist's outstretched hand in his direction halted the action. "Easy Bakugou," he said; still not taking his eyes away from the villain looking up at him with burning blue eyes. "Trust me."

The villain snorted, the breath from his lips fanning across Tsunagu's face and making him grimace in disgust. "You should stop smoking Robert, it's not good for your health."

It was like those words set off some kind of switch in the stranger's eyes, because suddenly he was grinning from ear to ear; the composed villain from before vanishing just like that, instead being replaced by a man brimming with eagerness tilting his head this way and that.

"You still remember me," he smiled.

"Unfortunately."

The redhead, or Robert now, snorted. "They haven't erased you fully. I'm glad."

"There was nothing_ to_ erase," Jeanist said, arm still stretched out as if to put a barrier between this man and Bakugou himself. It made Katsuki frown in concern. Despite how easy and calm the uniform freak was handling this situation, he was clearly on edge from the way he wasn't letting any of the villains leave his sight; shifting slowly in his spot to keep them in view every time the other two tried to move from in either directions.

Bakugou moved forward too; taking two steps to put himself slightly in the direction of the accursed helicopter. _'If only he could get near it somehow.'_

"What do you want Robert?"

Robert leaned forward.

Jeanist didn't move.

They were practically nose to nose now... And practically every nerve in Bakugou's body was screaming for him to do something – danger – danger – danger.

"We found you," Robert said, blue eyes dancing with mirth. "And we want you to come home."

'_What?'_

Bakugou scowled. From where he stood, he could barely get a glimpse of Jeanist's distrustful expression, but he had a clear view of the twisted look on the villain's face. It set his teeth on edge.

"I am_ home_ Robert. Japan is my home now."

"No you're not," the redhead smirked, teeth sharp and hands stuffed back in his pockets. "After all, **Wesley** said, a villain does not a hero make, _remember_?"

It was as if a gun had gone off next to his ear, for Jeanist was suddenly not standing as tall and proud as he was a second ago. Stumbling back, face scrunched up into a vicious snarl, his arm came up almost as if to strangle the other man.

Robert laughed, and jumped back as well. Creating a much needed distance between the two. "Hit a nerve Nicolas?"

"Yes," the former pro hero said, glancing quickly at Bakugou himself, before turning around. "I apologize for my reaction." His hand lowered back down to his side again. "It's just the mention of that man in any form sets my teeth on edge," shrugging; a sheepish smile painted his face, he sighed. "Won't happen again."

His composure was back almost as quickly as it had left.

Robert shrugged. "Of course, of course," he said, and Bakugou noticed how his shoulders relaxed back down too. It was an obvious and deliberate move. _'Probably to tell uniform freak he wasn't gonna attack unless provoked,'_ he concluded.

"This wasn't supposed to go like this you know," the leader continued, eyes momentarily flickering to Katsuki himself. The blonde teenager scowled at him. Jeanist tensed. His eyes moved away from Bakugou again and focused back on the former hero. "But what's done is done, so I'll ask you instead. Come with us peacefully and we won't have to hurt anyone else."

"That sounds reasonable-"

Bakugou didn't hear anything else, because as soon as Robert had looked away, he gathered up his remaining strength, and dashed across the roof, at the helicopter. Screams and shouts whipped past his ears, but he didn't pay them any mind, as he twisted and flipped past smokey-guy, came to a screeching halt with his bad leg, put both of his arms together and aimed a giant explosion at the metal contraption.

He didn't even get the chance to set the off, because-

The threads of his cloths tightened up before he could even blink, pushing his arms up against his side and his feet together in a familiar and unpleasant limp lock. Twisting his neck around, he growled at the former pro-hero who was of course standing right where he'd left him; fingers outstretched and tiny lines of thread connecting the two of them between the distance. "Let me go!" he snarled, blood furiously boiling in his veins in confusion and annoyance. "What the fuck are you doing!"

Jeanist didn't answer, instead he reeled him back in, but this time when Bakugou came into contact with the other man, he shoved his head backward in a vicious attempt to lash out. The older man grunted in pain, and Bakugou froze up at the noise.

_Fuck._

_What was he even doing?_

The fucker was injured damn it, and here Bakugou was lashing out at him like a damn infant.

"Easy Bakugou," Jeanist whispered. "The helicopter is rigged."

Bakugou stilled.

Oh, of course it was rigged. Fucking dumbass. When had he forgotten how to think? _'About three life threatening injuries ago?'_ his mind whispered.

"Ok," he said slowly, moving just an inch to look up at the former pro-hero better. "Then what do _you_ wanna do?"

Best Jeanist didn't give him an answer. Instead he focused back on the villain in front of them; arm still circled around Bakugou's chest, keeping him in place. "As I said before," he began, voice sounding devoid of emotions. "What guarantees that you won't harm anyone else?"

Robert shrugged. "My word to you. You of all people know what that means."

Fingers tightening around Bakugou, Beast Jeanist didn't say anything for a second. But then-

"What about him?" he asked suddenly, tone biting and laced with danger that Bakugou wasn't used to hearing from him. "What happens to the kid?"

Robert shrugged again. "He's seen my face," he said. "I can't let him live."

Bakugou tensed, but Tsunagu's grip tightened even further. "That's not acceptable," he smiled. "Make an exception."

"I can't."

"If you didn't want your face to be seen, you should have hidden it better. . ." Every word out of the former pro hero's mouth felt like it carried weight Bakugou couldn't hope to understand.

"What if I don't?"

"I will kill you."

Katsuki's breath caught.

"Why do you want him to live Nicolas?"

Best Jeanist scoffed. "He's my responsibility. And if you want me to come with you, you will not harm _him_ and you will inform the rest of your criminals to retreat immediately."

"I don't control all of them you know," Robert smiled; lips stretching out into an almost sincere apologetic look. "Some of them have other goals."

"I never said my _compliance _was cheap Robert."

The leader shook his head. "Fine, have it your way, I'm sure the boss would love to see you again anyways. And that might dissuade him from killing the rest."

The former hero hummed. "Then we have an agreement."

Bakugou's stomach lurched.

What was this? The air around him was thick with tention. It felt like standing between two giants. Two forces that could rip him apart where he stood. _For a second, he felt metal restraints locking him in place, sitting on a chair in a poorly lit bar, facing down villains-_

He clenched his eyes shut and swallowed down the bile threatening to spill out past his lips. He wasn't dumb, he knew-

_At this very moment_, It wasn't Tsunagu Hakamata standing behind him. No... It was Nicolas, a criminal- Bakugou tasted the shift in the air, these were villains, and they knew Jeanist, meaning... He knew them? He – Villain? How?

Familiar fingers brushed through his hair then, and he snapped his head back to look at the taller male. Tsunagu's eyes looked tired, worn out and so very very sad. He smiled. "I'm sorry kiddo. I wish you didn't have to see any of this."

"What?"

The hand on his head was warm, gentle, soft. Bakugou swallowed. "You aren't gonna go with these fuckers, are you?"

Tsunagu's smile dimmed.

"I know you've had a shitty past with them or whatever," he didn't know why panic was settling into his stomach. "But you've turned it around right? You've gotten better," He didn't know why he was so scared. "You're a hero now, so you don't ha-" his lips trembled. "You don't have to do anything." Why did this feel final. "You said you were gonna reform me, but-" He didn't want _him_ to go. "Aren't you reformed too!" He desperately wanted to grip Jeanist's shirt, to hold it – him down, to stop him from going. If he let him go... He would have failed – again. _Again_

"It's ok kiddo."

"It's n-"

The hand on his head ruffled his hair playfully, and suddenly a glint of happiness shone in the former pro hero'yes. "Saving kids like you, well, it's the essence of why I became a hero. So I'm good kid. I really am."

He didn't know when he'd started crying, but water was undeniably trickling down his cheeks. This wasn't fair. "I came so far," he breathed. "I - to save you. How can I just," he bit his lip, and glared at the ground.

"I'm sorry kid. I'll see you around ok?"

_What_

A quick pressure on his neck made everything blurry. "Uniform freak," he muttered, eyes darkening and body tilting dangerously towards the floor. Strong arms fully circled his body to stop his decent as the threads around his limps disappeared.

"Until we meet again Katsuki."

He didn't remember anything after that.

* * *

Didn't see that coming did ya This part of the story was the cross road I've always been dreading. The story could have gone two ways here. Bakugou could have saved best Jeanist, or he could have lost him. Now, originally I mapped out the saving route; knew exactly how it was gonna end, but story wise it didn't make much sense and it didn't do Jeanist character any justice either. I wanted Best Jeanist to sorta save the day by being the adult and putting Bakugou first rather than allow the kid to put himself in danger for him. And that included stopping him from fighting with cracked ribs, shattered elbow, sprained wrist and cut open leg. Besides, this way I can put Bakugou through more emotional pain ;)

Noooow people, you might have noticed or guessed most of Jeanist back story at this point (trust me there will be more) and I wanted to relate it back to how he'd wanted to change Bakugou into a better hero. (The scene in his office were he judged Bakugou was actually the whole reason why I wrote this fic to begin with) so hopefully all oc characters make some sense and the story hold your interest. That's all. Goodbye for now!


	14. What's Been Left Behind

When they found him, he was sitting curled up in the same spot he'd been left. Knees held to his chest and face bowed.

He didn't hear the door open. He didn't hear much of anything really. It was as if the world had been put on mute. Everything was caught up in nothing, and Bakugou didn't know when he would be able to blink open his eyes again and not see that smile, that very broken smile.

He shivered. Jeanist had left him behind. Had knocked him out and left him unconscious on top of the roof. He'd almost retched in disgust when he had woken up to a missing helicopter and that black coat draped over his still figure.

Bakugou had been quick to throw it away; tempted to explode it into tiny fucking pieces when he remembered who exactly it had belonged to, but through his blurry vision and the tight squeeze in his chest, all he'd managed to do what punch it into the ground with all he had.

That cursed coat might have belonged to the villain, but Tsunagu was the one – he'd been the one to lay it over him in a poor attempt to keep him warm, so how could he-

Fingers clenching around the black fabric, he pursed his lips and shoved his face even further into his knees.

"Bakugou?" Nervous fingers flittered around his head. "What happened are you ok?" Despite the tiny quiver in the new intruder's voice, his questions came out calm and reassuring. Still, Katsuki couldn't find the strength within him to answer ghost face-senpai. Because that's who had found the courage to approach him out of the handful of heroes that had gathered on top of the roof. Curling into himself further, he refused to say anything.

A gentle sigh came from his upperclassmen's lips, but he didn't push it, instead redirecting the other heroes milling around into gathering whatever evidence they could find and to also make sure to inform Aizawa-sensei that they'd found Bakugou Katsuki.

The blonde's breath hitched at that name._ Aizawa-sensei_

What would he think of him now. He'd disobeyed clear orders, engaged the enemy, and not only that, but he'd lost Best Jeanist too-

He'd failed him again. Both of them.

_What kind of hero... _

Scrunching up his nose, he blindly reached out an arm to grapple for the body casting a shadow over him. Thankfully Tamaki-senpai understood what he was trying to do and met him half way; clutching his fingers between his own currently human ones and holding them tight. "Yeah?"

"Shitty-hair?" It was all he could do not to let his voice crack. "Where is he?"

Tamaki-senpai squeezed his hand. "He's being moved to another location. He's ok, Aizawa-sensei and I got to him in time. He's ok."

Air whooshed out of his mouth. It felt like he could breathe for the first time.

"Oh." Tamaki-senpai squeezed his hand again. Bakugou shook him off. Tamaki-senpai let him go without a protest. "Good, that's good."

The older male hummed. His stiff fingers brushing up against Bakugou's shoulders, before they rested heavily on the nap of his neck. "Bakugou, what happened here?"

Tamaki's touch was cold, brittle, and the shakiness in his limps traveled down his arms and across Katsuki's back. It was familiar. He breathed.

"I lost him. I lost Best Jeanist." He didn't dare look up at the older teen. How could he, he'd failed. Lost a pro hero who'd been injured because of him in the first place._ 'If he hadn't come after you when you let yourself be captured he would have been able to defend himself today,' _the voice in his head whispered viciously.

"They were after him?"

Bakugou paused for a split second before he answered. "I don't know."

It was likely that the hero community didn't know anything about Jeanist's past. No way in fucking hell they would have let him be a hero if they did. Bakugou wasn't gonna mess up his legacy if he could help it. "I just went after them when I saw them take him during the chaos."

He should keep the information to himself for now. Just in case. "I'm not sure about anything else."

"Alright," Tamaki breathed, his blue hair skimming across Bakugou's forearm as the pro hero leaned over to examine his most dire injuries. Katsuki flinched when the gentle fluttering of Tamaki's hand pushed down too hard on his ribs. "Shit, sorry."

The blonde snorted; jolting his ribs even further. "It's fine, I barely feel it anymore."

"That's not worrying at all."

_Since when had ghost face-senpai grown a backbone around him?_ He most have truly looked pitiful if even scaredy-cat Tamaki was joking around with him. His lips pulled into a displeased snarl, but before he could say anything-

"Amajiki-senpai! Did you find anything!"

_Deku_

Bakugou's head shut up so fast, black dots sprang across his vision. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He tried to stand up; failed and opted instead to glare harshly at his classmate. Tamaki's hands were still trying to support him where they rested firmly against his back. He wanted to tell him to get the fuck off but held his tongue. It was obvious from the slight shake in those wrists that ghost face-senpai was worried. He didn't want to add to it.

Deku expression reflected similar emotions. "Kacchan! Are you ok?"

He glowered at him, and Deku, fucking Deku just fucking nodded back as if that actually made sense to him. Fucking nerd.

"They took Hakamata-san Midoriya-kun," Tamaki spoke up, voice strangely subdued and eyes looking at a point over the other teens shoulder.

Pathetic. Sometimes Bakugou forgot how fucking socially inept the older boy was. Still, he would never say that to his face. Ghost face-senpai would revert back to how he used to treat him and that would fucking suck, plus Kirishima-

He wouldn't be able to stand looking at his best friend's disappointed face. So he kept his mouth shut and silently watched them exchange words.

The rest of the conversation the two had went by in blur; Bakugou too tired to focus on their prattling any longer than necessary. Instead directing his interest back towards the coat still gripped between his exhausted fingers. That villains coat.

_They_ could take it from him. If they knew. The pro heroes could take it away for evidence. Cursing under his breath, Katsuki lifted up the object and examined it carefully. It looked fine. "Oi," he called out, halting the ongoing conversation momentarily. "Help me get this on ghost face-senpai." They both stared at him in confusion, but Tamaki didn't protest when he was met with a heated and maybe slightly pleading look from the younger.

The pro heroes would have to take it of his dead fucking body if he had anything to say about it


	15. Reach Out

He couldn't walk. It was the most embarrassing realization he'd ever come to. His face flushed red and he shoved Tamaki-senpai away harshly. "I don't need your help," he snapped; blotches of red burning his face like a furnace. God, he was a disappointment to the Bakugou name. "I can do it myself." The last part came out more of a whisper, but Tamaki didn't comment on it, nodding slightly and standing up to put just the tiniest bit of distance between them; still being near enough to catch him though Bakugou noted sourly.

Turns out it was a much-needed precaution, because the minute Katsuki shoved himself back on his feet for what most have been the umpteenth time today, he crumbled right where he stood. His knees giving out before they could even support half his weight, and Bakugou fell to the ground with a surprised yelp.

"Kacchan!"

"Katsuki!"

Two arms shot out to wrap around his elbows, and Bakugou, well Bakugou screamed. The pain that had sunk under his skin over time; suddenly flaring up, burning in a way that made Bakugou just want to crawl out of his own skin and curl up in a corner.

Tamaki snapped something at Deku then;_ Deku who's hands were wrapped around his shattered elbow._

The other teen let him ago immediately; spluttering hurried apologies and terrified exclamations of worry, and Bakugou finally breathed a shuddered sigh of relief, falling over and being caught by the blue haired male next to him. Head landing gently on ghost face's shoulder.

"I'm sorry Kacchan! I'm sorry." Deku sounded devastated. "I didn't know. Shit, I didn't think – how hurt are you? Kacchan!"

"Shut up," the blonde slurred, face almost hidden under Tamaki's chin. "You talk too much."

Sighing; breath fanning over Katsuki's face, Tamaki brought up a hand to run over his forehead briefly. "You have a fever," he said softly.

Bakugou grunted.

"Can you walk?"

He didn't say anything. Not because he didn't want to, but because –

Something didn't feel right here. He frowned. What? His vision had suddenly gone blurry, the ground swirling under him and his body had started to shake uncontrollably. "I can't see," he muttered; his own words sounding distant even to his own ears. He didn't know whether he should be alarmed or not. "I can't see Deku."

Something was brushing up against his face, arms around his chest, noise spluttering around his ears. He didn't understand. "I can't see," he repeated again, just to make sure ghost face and the nerd had heard him. "I-

It all turned into black from there.

When he next woke up, he woke up to a soft warmth and gentle movements. It was almost like he was swaying from side to side; weightless. For the first time, he wasn't feeling a nauseating pressure on his legs and the relief he got from that was almost too palpable. Bakugou blinked slowly, smacking his lips and grimacing at the dryness. He tried not to move from his comfortable position, but curiosity overpowered the sheer tiredness he was feeling and not long after, he was slowly lifting his head up from where it was resting on someone's shoulder and was promptly greeted with fluffy blue hair in his eyes.

Abruptly stuffing his face back into the comfortable shoulder, he grumbled at the sting. "What the fuck?"

"Kacchan?"

_Deku?_

Uncurling from his spot again; this time a lot more careful to avoid the hair, he squinted down in the direction of the nerd, meeting the gaze of a concerned Midoriya.

"What happened?" he asked.

If the person walking next to him was Deku, then whoever was carrying him was definitely Tamaki. He frowned. Bakugou's arms had been lightly wrapped around the pro hero's shoulders, and his legs were being held up above Tamaki's waist. Katsuki didn't like this at all. Sure the sensation had been comfortable, even a relief to a degree, but-

He was, essentially being carried down the fucking stairs like a fucking child. And that was unacceptable. He opened his mouth; intending on telling ghost face to put him the fuck down, when-

"You lost consciousness," Deku said slowly, twiddling his thumps like an idiot. "We didn't really know what else to do since your injuries were so extensive, so Amajiki-senpai volunteered to get you to the doctors." A kind of innocent smile painted the teenager's lips as he shrugged helplessly up at Bakugou.

"We were worried," Amajiki interjected. "So please don't make a fuzz. I don't think your body can handle anymore abuse."

While Deku was gaping at what he thought was the boldest the upperclassmen had ever spoken, Katsuki took that time to use his sprained arm to hit the blue haired teen up across the head.

"Ouch."

The exclamation was monotone.

"Serves you right," Bakugou snapped back anyways.

Tamaki only huffed in annoyance; still being careful not to stumble on the pile of rocks halfway blocking the entrance to the second floor, and probably doing it to avoid needlessness jostling of Bakugou's injuries. A twinge of guilt flittered through Katsuki's chest at the sight. "Thanks." The word wasn't any louder than a whisper, but Tamaki hummed lightly in reply, and that was that.

Or it would have been, if the older hadn't decided to leave him here with Deku so he could go find Aizawa on his own. "Fuck no," Bakugou scowled, tightening his grip around the other's neck. "I can walk just fine."

"Um Kacchan?"

"What," he snapped.

Deku's concerned gaze was now directed at Tamaki. "You're strangling him."

"Huh?" Finally realizing what he was doing, he quickly let up.

"Thanks," Tamaki choked.

Bakugou huffed. "I'm still not staying here like some helpless fucker while you bring Aizawa-sensei here. I'll find him on my own if I have to." Every word he said was emphasized by glaring holes in the back of Suneater's head.

Tamaki Amajiki didn't seem to care either way, as he just kept walking with resolute steps over to the only chair that with some miracle had remained standing on this floor, lowered himself down, and peeled Bakugou of his back and onto it; not that Katsuki could put up much of a fight as his body just wouldn't cooperate with the condition it was in. "It won't take long," he muttered when he'd made sure Bakugou wouldn't slide of the chair despite being glared at the entire time. "I'll be right back."

"Whatever," Bakugou glowered, bringing the coat even tighter around his now, shaking? shoulders. "I don't fucking care."

"I know you don't."

Tamaki didn't say anything else besides that, just gave a reassuring nod to Deku before turning on his heels and walking away.

'_A hero,' _Bakugou noted absentmindedly.

Tamaki Amajiki carried himself like a hero whenever he was on a mission. Very different from his everyday life. Bakugou stared after his disappearing form with a slight frown pulling at his lips. Something Kirishima had mentioned once floating through his brain for some reason. Shitty-hair had said that despite his jittering attitude, there weren't many people more dependable than the Suneater when it came to hero work.

He always came through. Kirishima had been smiling when he said that. A kind of pride in his voice that Bakugou usually only heard when his friend was talking about Crimson Riot.

_Was Tamaki born with it? Was there something innate in people that made them more inclined to save? Do it more right than people like Bakugou? _

He swallowed, curling around the coat and tucking his head into his shoulders. At some point he'd almost stopped noticing that Deku was standing there, watching him.

_Would Tamaki have been able to save Jeanist?_

'_Stop it,' _he hissed at himself. '_Just stop.'_

But he couldn't, of course he fucking couldn't. Leave it to him to let his traitorous mind get the best of him now. But it was true wasn't it? Tamaki would have saved Best Jeanist, hell, Deku-

...Deku.. Why was he thinking of the fucking nerd when- Had his hands been this cold this whole time? Bakugou cursed.

"Kacchan?"

Clenching his fists, he tried to stop his body from fucking shaking. - Why did it hurt to breathe?

_Heroes_

Was the uniform freak a former villain? Had Aizawa-sensei known? If the hero community didn't know, would they even save him if they ever found out?

"Kacchan?"

His teeth clattered; his mind was spinning miles a minute. _'Would the world see Jeanist as a villain when the truth came out? He'd gone with them willingly after all.'_

'_To save your ungrateful ass,'_ his thoughts whispered harshly in his ear._ 'He could have gotten away if you had been stronger, better, smarter. You should have done more.'_

_Failure_

"Kacchan!"

He couldn't breathe.

"Bakugou!"

Why wouldn't his body stop shaking?

"Kacchan can you hear me?" _That was Deku, Right? _

He gasped. "Deku?" Vision swimming and throat clogging up he desperately tried to stand up again.

"No, no, no," fingers clasped his shoulders. "Just sit Kacchan. Sit down and breathe ok. Just breathe."

"I can't." Why couldn't he get anything right. "Deku." He couldn't save him. "I can't." He let them take him. "breathe." Midoriya would have done it. He would have saved him. Not like Bakugou. No, not like him at all. _'A villain,_' his mind whispered._ 'You're a villain.'_

"What can I do Kacchan! Tell me what to do!"

Katsuki clawed at his chest, it hurt to breathe, his eyes were watering.

_How pathetic._

"Please Kacchan, breathe with me!"

For him to lose it in front of the one person he hated the most. Pathetic. Everything hurt so much.

_Jeanist_

His smile. That sadness.

He couldn't

From amidst that panic he could distinctly make out Deku's panicked voice. "What can I do? How can I help? Please Kacchan let me help?"

"Help?" Everyone who'd ever helped him had suffered. He didn't need help. How could he even ask for help? He shivered. It was like everything came crashing down on him all at once. He didn't know how to ask. He couldn't. The words wouldn't leave his lips.

But for some reason, in that very moment; Midoriya screaming in his face, his body shaking, his eyes swiveling around in panic, in that moment, he remembered his _mom_. A four years old him standing in the kitchen with tears in his eyes looking up at his mom.

"Just reach out kid," she'd said.

"What do you mean mom?"

His mom smiled, it was one of those days, when her edges softened, when her eyes shone, when her voice held that feeling of calmness missing from her brittle, usual tone. Bakugou secretly loved those days.

"When you can't get out the words Katsuki, stretch out your arm like this." She demonstrated the motion by reaching out her own hand and wiggling her fingers in his face. He giggled. "I will know what you mean, and I'll hold it till you feel better."

"Really?" He didn't get it. Didn't understand.

His mom smiled. "Really."

A brief image of a small Deku reaching out to him danced across his vision.

_Reach out,_ his mom had said.

"_When you can't say what you want, when you're hurting, reach out."_ Funny thing wasn't it? She never really reached back, even after... Even after she said – Had she... But Deku-

Suddenly, his trembling fingers splayed out in front of him; towards the other. A silent cry? A plea? He didn't know, and he didn't look up, face still buried in the flap of the coat, but his hand was out there, reaching, and Deku... From - he wasn't really looking at him, but from the corner of his eyes, it was easy to see, that disgusting smile of understanding curling hesitantly across his lips. And he reached back, clutched his hand between the scarred on of his own and held on.

He didn't say anything, and Bakugou didn't either.

But they stayed like that and waited for Tamaki to return. And Katsuki? He could finally breathe again.

* * *

Ouch, this physically hurt to write. Like my eyes were stinging the whole time. Bakugou is finally facing all these things he had pent up throughout the mission, and all these raw emotions are finally spilling out and poor kid doesn't know how to deal with any of it.

Now he's questioning his self worth, wondering if perhaps anyone else could have done a better job and all the self doubt are definitely gonna lead him to make irrational decisions in the future. Of course Deku being the sweetheart he is is there when needed. I wanted to do this scene with Aizawa in the end, but I don't think it would have worked so well. Izuku gets Katsuki in ways not many people do, and he would know what to say or do in this situation and that's why he was perfect for this moment. I love Kirishima and Bakugou's friendship, but I also love the Bakugou & Midoriya pairing. Also the hand reaching out thing (saw the trailer for the upcoming movie!) and thought maybe it was their thing in a way. A symbolism. A chance to bridge that gap between them and that's why Izuku understood what he meant, because he'd always reached out first. So yeah, here you have it folks.

I have a bit of free time lately, so I'm trying to write as much and get as much out of the way as I possibly can. So hope you like it!


	16. For Now

It didn't take long for him to calm down after that; chest heaving and breath stuttering in his chest, but eventually he managed to suck in his trembling lips and exhale through his nose. Muscles relaxing and tension uncoiling as he strained for control. When it didn't feel like his body was fighting against his very existence anymore, Bakugou let a sliver of light enter through his closed eyelids; chest still feeling tight, but no longer trying to suffocate him.

Deku had yet to let go of his hand; standing next to him like some kind of silent protector. It made bile rise up in Katsuki's throat. He didn't need this. He didn't need fucking Deku of all people holding his hand like he was some kind of pathetic shriveled up baby incapable of defending himself. He wasn't pathetic, damn it! He was more than that. He had to be. How else was he going to be a fucking hero?

_How else was he going to save Hakamata-san?_

Eyes widening at the thought, Bakugou felt a shiver run down his spine. He needed to be better. And to be better, he needed to stop being dependent. Which would have to start with-

Scowling sourly at the joint hands dangling in between him and Deku, he let his eyes travel up until they were focused back on a too familiar face. The nerd wasn't looking at him; his gaze directed at the corner Tamaki-senpai had disappeared into. He looked stressed, worn out, _worried._

Bakugou swallowed. _'He's worried about you because you're weak,'_ the voice whispered, being relentless in its pursuit to inform him of all his flaws and imperfections. The blonde quickly looked down and blinked. It was right.

He let go of Deku's hand.

It wasn't as difficult, it wasn't as hard, as he'd imagined. For a breath of a second, holding those scarred fingers, that hand – against his own, it... It had felt like a lifeline, an opportunity, his salvation at the end of an endless tunnel. A semblance of self-control he couldn't have hoped to accomplish on his own, but... It hadn't been that hard.

A slight shake of his own hand, an indignant growl, and the nerd had immediately realized what he'd been asked of; snapping into attention and quickly slipping his fingers from Bakugou with awkwardly stumbled apologies.

"Fucking shut up Deku." He said. He sounded hoarse, tired?

Now that he thought about it, his eyes felt heavy, and his thoughts seemed foggy. Sleep sounded good right about now. Deku most have noticed it too, for he was suddenly fumbling for something on his belt-

'_Hero costume,'_ Bakugou noted absentmindedly._ 'Ah, they called in heroes for backup. Of course, Deku would be wearing his fucking ridiculous costume.'_

'_Of course they would call Midoriya to help. He actually has a license,'_ the voice whispered again.

Katsuki harshly shoved it to the furthest corner in depth of his mind to rot, mood souring even further. It didn't help that his classmate took that very moment to present him with a water bottle; face drawn up in concern... "You looked like you were thirsty," he said tentatively.

[_You looked like you were asking for help_]

Bakugou's lips pulled, his eyes narrowed, and his blood boiled. All those emotions formulating into a snarl across his face. Something very ugly suddenly crawled its way out from the pits of his stomach, slithered its way past his heart and fell through his clenched teeth.

"I don't fucking need your help you fucking piece of shit!" he exploded. _What was he doing? _"I will never need anything from you! Fucking Deku!" _Why?_

Deku startled back, face contorting into a blank mask, but not before, no... Not before Bakugou got a glimpse into that shattered look his childhood friend had gotten so good at hiding away. In the presence of him.

It was like something suddenly grabbed all the rage and squished it down. Something red, something warm, something disapproving. He felt tired.

Blinking, he unclenched his fists slowly, breathed even slower, before looking back up at the teenager next to him. Deku, who hadn't left, despite the unjust anger directed at him. Like usual.

"I," he started, licking his lips and coughing into his upper sleeve. "Deku-"

"It's ok." The tiny smile was back.

_It wasn't ok._

"I know you don't need help."

_Why was he like this._

"But you can have it, you know," a hesitant step towards the fire that was Bakugou. "Even if you don't need it. You don't always have to need it."

[_I'm glad I have you to watch my back bro_] Red, warm, honest.

[You fucking ungrateful brat. Get the fuck out of my face. Go! Fucking waste of space! Don't know why I had you!] Blonde, harsh, cruel.

He struggled to get back on his feet. Deku flinched, but was quick to move forward again, to help, to pleadingly ask him to please sit back down. Bakugou waved him off.

"I don't need your help," he started off. A vivid memory of two kids crying in his chest resurfacing from his memories. Two kids that also called him Kacchan. "But I needed it, _before_." Admitting it, saying it out loud. It hurt. "You always meddle in shit that aren't any of your fucking business." _Be better,_ Best Jeanist had once said.

Jeanist had tried to be better. Had become better. Maybe Bakugou could too. Deku was still looking at him. Expression sifting too various emotions all at once and none at all that it drove Katsuki out of his mind with annoyance. But Midoriya had been trying all this time too, so-

"I'm thirsty," he said, gesturing awkwardly to Midoriya's side.

Deku smiled, reached back; and with a shaky hand, delivering the cooling bottle into Bakugou's own.

_It wasn't an apology._

The blonde twisted the cap open and gulped down a sizable mouthful; grateful for the cold liquid drenching down his throat. Not realizing how thirsty he'd been till he was practically emptying down the water bottle into his stomach.

It wasn't an apology, but for now... He could see Deku's relieved smile from the corner of his eye – It would have to be enough.

Sitting back down required a bit more endurance on his part; after he'd handed the bottle back, he struggled not to show the pain coursing through his veins. But he'd had to stand up.

He couldn't have said what he'd needed to say, sitting down. It just wouldn't feel as sincere, as true.

Thankfully, having some tact, the nerd didn't offer to help him, and with a bit more grimacing on his part, Bakugou finally managed to lower himself fully back on his seat.

Sadly, he didn't get a second to congratulate himself on task well down, because in the next instant, a certain teacher's surprisingly loud voice drifted through the air and bore into Bakugou's skull, in an almost poor attempt of a warning bell.

He flinched; having for the briefest of moments, a momentary urge to actually hide behind Deku.

Wow... he let that sink in for a minute.

"Bakugou Katsuki!"

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. He didn't get the chance to do much more than exchange a slightly horrified look with Deku however, before Aizawa-sensei was on him.

"What were you thinking," their teacher snapped when he came to a stop in front of his chair.

Bakugou didn't say anything. Aizawa-sensei looked terrible. A slight crease in Deku's brows suggested that he too had noticed how tired and exhausted the pro hero looked. Unfortunately, that didn't stop him from biting into Katsuki where he sat.

"I told you to remain in the car. I told you to not go in there. I promised you to look out for Kirishima, and you promised me in turn to stay put. Did that mean nothing to you?"

Every word out of the older man's mouth felt like a knife in the gut. Still, Bakugou couldn't say anything. It was as if something was clogging his throat, preventing him from talking, preventing him from doing pretty much anything besides staring up at the one person who'd ever seen all his flaws and chosen to stay anyways.

"Nothing? You have nothing to say for yourself?" Aizawa-sensei's arms where no longer stuffed in the pockets of his pants, instead crossed firmly over his chest, eyes glaring daggers into Bakugou's soul.

"I-" Nothing; he didn't have anything to say. No excuse. No right. "I wanted to help." But there was a certain strength behind his words that even surprised him. "I didn't mean to disobey your orders, but I had to."

He had expected this.

"I don't care if you wanted to help or not. You still broke my trust!" It still burned to be scolded. More specifically, it was humiliating to be scolded in front of Deku of all people.

"I know that," he snapped back. Of course he knew. Aizawa-sensei didn't need to tell him. "But something didn't feel right! I had to do something!"

"You didn't have to do anything! Your job was to be a kid and wait in the damn car!" He'd never seen Aizawa-sensei this pissed before, ever. Not when he fought Deku not when he was scolding the idiots who rescued him, not ever. "You could have died Bakugou. Do you understand that!"

"I'm not a fucking idiot, of course I know that," he shouted back.

"Then stop acting like one!" At this point they were just screaming back and forth. None of the words registering on any level in Katsuki's ear. Still, Aizawa-sensei's frustration came across pretty clear.

He didn't know why he was screaming. It's not like he hadn't expected the consequences, hadn't been ready for them. But.. Maybe he'd expected something else too. His mom screamed at him. Aizawa-sensei-

"You don't even have a hero license, you know that right?" His teacher was rubbing circles in his forehead now. "You could get expelled for this kid." His voice had calmed down a tad. Not Bakugou.

"Well fuck U.A," He didn't mean it. "If saving life is so bad, maybe they should try harder not to lose to fucking villains every other day!"

Aizawa scowled. "And pray tell what difference did you make?"

It felt like a slap in the face. It stung. Like the simple acknowledgment of his short comings bore a hole into his soul and exposed his sins for all to see.

Something most have shone on his face, because Aizawa-sensei was suddenly down on his knees, gaze locking with his own and both arms placed on his shoulders. "I'm sorry kid," he said, eyes searching for something. "That was harsh. It wasn't what I meant. Could you please just tell me what happened?"

_I'm sorry. _

He hadn't been able to say the same to Deku.

This must be the difference between a real hero and a fraud like him. He looked down till his hair was creating a barrier between himself and Aizawa-sensei's worried frown.

"I failed," he whispered. "They took Best Jeanist because I fucking failed." His teacher didn't say anything for a second, and Bakugou felt his heart drop for every moment of silence that trailed by. Of course Aizawa-sensei agreed with him. He'd broken the rules, but not only that, he'd didn't even get his rescue right. Pathetic.

"Does that mean I failed you too?"

Bakugou's head shot up and he gaped. Aizawa-sensei's face was pinched; his classic worried look, but the tiniest hint of a sad smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "No," Katsuki spluttered, shocked. "You didn't do anything. You tried to stop me, but I didn't listen. Fuck, that's not on you."

Aizawa-sensei squeezed his shoulders. "Tried?" he muttered. "That's the key word isn't it?"

"Huh?" He didn't understand.

Aizawa sighed, bringing up a hand to rub tiredly against his face. "You tried Katsuki. You tried your damn hardest to save someone. Despite the odds, despite the danger. Alone, against how many villains?

_It didn't feel like enough._ Bakugou looked down. "It wasn't enough."

"It never is kid." There was another sigh, and then a gentle but brief pat on his hair. "That's why we keep trying. That's why we keep being heroes. We fight so that we can change the already set futures of others. It doesn't always work out, but we try. And you tried enough kid. As human beings, that's all we can really ask for."

He might have cried if he could; from the relief, from the acceptance, from the sheer fact that Aizawa-sensei still thought he could amount to something, but – His eyes could only sting in an irritation, and his lips could only twitch in an echo of sadness. He was too tired to cry anymore. His last real tears had dripped down his chin and splattered across the forearm of a former pro hero. So instead he yawned, eyelids heavy and face stricken in pain and exhaustion, and he slowly collapsed against the older male. Aizawa-sensei gently circling his arms around his waist and as he breathed against his chest. "Thank God you're alive kid," he muttered; almost as if he didn't expect Bakugou to hear. "Thank God you're alive."

It was funny – His eyes fell close, but Katsuki didn't feel his consciousness ebb away like before. Nothing faded away. He was still there; thinking, feeling. Able to hear and listen when the doctors arrived. So with some much needed effort he opened his eyes slowly, and pushed himself away from Aizawa-sensei's surprising warmth; to search for Deku's presence. The idiot had apparently walked some distant away from the conversation; probably to give them some semblance of privacy no matter how poor, and was now standing awkwardly to the side, staring at the doctors and nurses with a wide gaze and jittering frame.

Ignoring the hum of confusion coming from his teacher, Bakugou pushed himself even further back on his seat; avoiding meeting the eyes of Mr. Yagi; who'd just arrived, and instead sending a heated glare in the green haired teen's direction. "Deku," he barked; making his classmate jump in surprise. "Take my coat for me."

He knew if he fell unconscious now, went under surgery, there was no way he could guarantee the coat being spared from getting searched. But – If he gave it to Deku for safe keeping... The nerd wouldn't give it up to anyone, he was sure of it. So struggling silently to get it off; Aizawa-sensei finally taking pity on him and helping him out, he sluggishly folded it up, refusing the help being offered, and thrust it in Deku's direction when the nerd final made it back over to him. "Don't fucking lose it idiot," he snapped. Midoriya nodded, a certain steel determination reflecting back in his eyes.

Good.

That was good.

And so when he was next lifted onto the ready made stretcher, he didn't make a fuzz. Listening with only a half ear to Aizawa-sensei rattling off his injuries to the staff. He was good for now. For the time being, he was good. And that's all he would let himself focus.

He only tuned back in, when a hand fell on his shoulder.

"They'll have to put you under," his teacher said; face hovering over his own. Bakugou frowned. He didn't like it. But – he nodded - _'I need the rest,' _he thought.

"Ok."

Aizawa-sensei quirked his lips in a silent apology then. "We'll also have to notify your parents."

He didn't know how to feel about that. Something coiled around his guts, something nasty. But, "Ok" he said. Aizawa-sensei nodded, and he nodded back. And then the mask was on, and before Bakugou knew it, the world melted together, and he knew no more, just a faint lingering warmth of a hand on his forehead sending him off into the darkness one more time.


	17. We Don't Know Each Other

Bakugou woke up to muffled sobbing. The noise grated on his ears and he found himself twitching his nose in annoyance. He'd had a pleasant dream; nothing had happened, total and absolute darkness, but from everything he'd been through, it had been refreshing. Plus, the giggles, he could still faintly hear the giggles of the kids. His heart felt lighter for a moment, as the memories of their determined smiles flooded back into his senses along with his consciousness.

Unfortunately, his reintroduction to the world of the living came with the realization of his current situation. A cast.

From what Bakugou could determine through the haze of his foggy awareness, thick cast was wrapped around his left arm; the tightness beginning from just below his shoulder all the way to his wrist. It was uncomfortable.

He grimaced internally. His waist; right by his ribs also felt tightly braced together, that Katsuki would bet money on it too being wrapped like a fucking gift basket. His left leg and right wrist hadn't fared much better either. Both being subjected to similar treatments.

Surgery, he wasn't sure, but Katsuki thought it was a safe bet that he'd been put under and gone through at least a minor sugary. On which injury he wasn't sure, but no way would he have been out this fucking long if they hadn't drugged him up. And he knew he'd been out long, because that noise; that unfamiliar, familiar noise that set his nerves on edge; that was her. _Mom_

He coughed.

"Katsuki!" Someone leaned over him; breath fanning over his face. "Son, can you hear me?"

"Dad?" He didn't know how clear the words came out, but by the way the man choked on air, pressing a gentle hand into the part of his cheek not covered by the mask, he must have at least sounded coherent enough. "Dad."

Had he ever thought he was going to see his father again? The mild-mannered man who had chosen to put so much kindness into a basket case like him. Fuck, he felt his eyes stinging, and he wasn't even looking at the man, damn it.

"I'm here son. I'm right here. Can you open your eyes for me Katsuki?"

Someone was clutching his hand on the other side; almost too hard for comfort. He knew that touch like the back of his mind.

Breaking the seal gluing his vision together was a lot harder this time around, and Bakugou almost felt a level of panic bubbling up from his stomach, when no matter how hard he tried; nothing happened.

"Easy son. It's ok, take your time."

A scoff. "Fucking brat."

"Mitsuki!" - Mild admonition from his dad.

He found himself frowning again. Fuck the hag. No one asked her to be here. Certainly not him. Fuck her. With sheer force of will; and high dosage of spite, he tore his eyes back open and was promptly greeted with burning white light blazing through his irises. He hissed. Avoiding the brunt of it only because his dad was still leaning over him, worry lines drawn taut and firm.

"Easy," he repeated again, clumsy fingers curling and uncurling as they stroked his cheek. But Bakugou had enough of laying around, so with some effort on his part, he tried to reach up with his immobile hands to remove the mask hindering his speech.

It didn't work.

Just as he was about to lose it, a heavy sighed drifted across his face, and with a gentle hand used to being soft and kind, his father removed the oxygen mask carefully; putting it to the side and bringing up a cup of water to his lips without being asked.

Bakugou nodded gratefully up at him and took slow sips until his throat didn't feel like it was being run over by a car anymore.

"Thanks," he finally muttered when the water was gone and he could speak; albeit hoarsely. His dad smiled.

"Don't worry about it kiddo."

"Good to see you're up brat," his mom had let go of his hand as soon as he woke up, and Katsuki honestly wouldn't have noticed the action, if the lingering warmth of her fingers didn't create some sort of loss in his chest. He hated it, so he scowled at her.

"What the fuck you doing here?"

He didn't see it coming, the slap. But it came none the same.

"Mitsuki!" He'd never heard his father so scandalized, but right in this moment, all he could do, was stare up at his mom, with her hand still raised and with tears still trickling down her face.

"What the fuck's wrong with you," she screeched.

Honestly, the slap hadn't been all that hard, it stung like hell sure, but - and he shouldn't have... She cared, of course she did – The tears running down her face was evidence enough, yet-

"Nothing is fucking wrong with me," he hissed, a dull anger coursing through his veins. "You're the one slapping a fucking patient. Maybe take a look in the fucking mirror you old hag!"

"Fuck you," he hollered, rubbing furiously against her eyes; tiny sobs escaping past her lips. "Where the fuck is your self-preservation huh? You wanna give your dad a fucking heart attack, is that it?" She wasn't looking at him anymore; instead pacing up and down the side of the bed, head bowed, and legs aggressively stomping on the ground.

"I was trying to save someone," he said; it came out more like a whisper. He hated himself just a little bit for that. _'Don't show weakness,_' the voice whispered; sly and cruel.

"You were trying to get_ attention_! It's what you always do! Fucking hell kid, where did I go wrong with you?"

"Fuck you," he hissed. "Who gave you the right to judge me?"

"I'm your mother!"

"Fat lot of good that's done me!"

His dad had by this point rounded the bed and with a shaking voice tried to defuse the situation. "Mitsuki dear," he said, arms coming to rest on her shoulders; arms she shrugged off. "He's just gotten out of surgery, please."

She wasn't listening. Neither was Bakugou. "You know how hard we work for you brat?" Her eyes were still red rimmed, her chest still heaving up and down, she looked scared.

It was all too familiar. The fighting, the screaming, the tears. This was their thing. The familiarity of it all should have washed over him like an old friend, but – Why did he have to? Why did he just scream and shout? Why did they? _He'd almost died._

"I could have died?" he whispered.

"Don't you think I know that brat!"

Shouldn't she worry about his wellbeing? Ask if he was fucking ok after fighting four fucking villains? "Why are you screaming at me?" He was used to this. This was their thing.

"Because you're ungrateful! Because you don't ever fucking listen!"

It was their thing, but why did he feel so worn out;_ A self-sacrificing smile, two shaking hands lifting him up from the ground, a cold-water bottle and a soft sorry from a teacher who shouldn't have had to._

People could be kind. Even when you'd fucked up royally, people could still be kind. "Oi," he said; voice feeling strangely distant and quiet. The shift in the tone, made his mom halt momentarily in her rant; eyes confused and mouth slightly agape.

People could be kind.

"I was scared." He could admit that to her. To them, they were his parents after all. His dad's eyes watered immediately and Bakugou swallowed thickly. "I fought hard and I lost, but no one said I did it for attention till you."

His mom pursed her lips, nose crunching up and words coming out slightly unsure. "No one else knows you like I do brat."

"Dad does," he didn't know why he was crossing that unspoken line. "Deku does. Aizawa-sensei does. Hell, Best Jeanist knows the worst parts of me, and no one else said I did it for attention." For some reason that word_ 'attention'_ kept circling over and over again in his mind. It hurt.

"What the fuck brat. Where's this coming from?"

He wasn't even fully sitting up on the bed; leaning instead again the slightly lifted up bed frame and clutching with all his might the crumbled-up covers. "Best Jeanist said I could be good."

His mom snorted. "Sure you can idiot, no one is denying that."

It hurt.

"You are," he whispered. And wasn't that the meal of the day. It hit him like a fucking truck, the revelation. Their family dynamic was fucked up. Why? He didn't know, but for the first time, in his entire life, he'd felt honest to God fear dancing under his skin for someone else and his mom couldn't read that in his face. Not like ghost face-senpai could. Not like Aizawa-sensei and Deku. Not like Tsunagu-san.

It hurt.

Throwing her arms up, his mom scoffed; turning away. "There he goes again. Dramatic little bitch."

"Mitsuki!"

His dad was no help. Gritting his teeth, he looked down. His eyes were stinging again, but fuck, if he was gonna let himself cry in front of her again. Fuck if he was gonna let his disappointment show. He didn't need her, he didn't need anyone. It's not like he'd expected real honest concern. Hell, he knew she cared, she was just bad at expressing it. _'Like me,'_ he thought. But-

Couldn't she at least once. Now. When he needed her. Couldn't she just say something different?

"Do you think I'm a failure?" His mom stilled. "No," she snapped, brows furring as if the idea itself was absurd to her.

Funny wasn't it?

"Then why do you treat me like one?"

It was like a bomb had been dropped in the room. Sheer and utter silence fell between them. Masaru curling in the corner; shoulders hunched, as if the tension was too heavy to bare.

"What?" He hadn't heard his mom's voice so dead in a long long time.

"I said," Katsuki looked up meeting her gaze. "Why do you treat me like a failure?"

His mom didn't splutter or get tongue tied; that kinda shit was beneath her, but she did twitch just the tiniest bit and her face fell. "I don't do that," she said. "I'm proud of you. You know that damn well. Every fucking achievement you've had, is plastered all over my fucking walls, cuz I'm that fucking proud of you. So where the fuck is this coming from."

He swallowed. It was as if suddenly his heart grew heavy to beat properly. "Proud? You've never said that before."

"Do I have to?" Now the annoyance was coming back. "I thought it was fucking implied."

Gritting his teeth until he felt they were grounding against each other, Bakugou finally averted his gaze. "It never feels like it is. Not when all I ever hear from you is how much of a fuck up I'd turned out to be. Despite your best job. Fuck," It wasn't the time to cry, but-

His eyes always welled up in frustration and it was so fucking annoying Bakugou wished he could just tear them out right fucking then. "You hate how I became what I became. But fucking hell mom! Who do you think I got it from!"

"Come again?" Oh, the fury was back.

"I said," he gritted out. "Who the fuck do you think I got my beautiful fucking rainbow personality from. It aint fucking dad, that's for sure."

"You think it's my fault you turned into a fucking mess?"

"YES," He screamed, almost launching himself out of the bed; ignoring the pain that blew up in his side. She wasn't to blame for his actions, not his bullying, not his cruelty, not his weakness, no-

But she was the one who was the most similar to him in attitude, in personality, and in temper, so if Katsuki didn't get his fucked up anger from her, then who the fuck did he get it from?

"You never treated me like your fucking kid," he scowled, stopping himself from crumbling back down where he lay. "You don't talk to me like I'm your son. Not since forever ago."

She growled at him. "That's fucking ridiculous. I've clothed you, fed you, bought all the fucking junk you've ever needed. I've made you who you fucking are today!"

"And I turned out great didn't I?" It was a low blow, and he knew it, but-

"You're a shit parent and I'm a shit son, but I'm a kid mom, what's your fucking excuse?"

Nothing else was said, because in that very minute, his heart stopped doing its job properly and suddenly alarms where blaring, his parents were screaming, and he was burning up like someone had simultaneously put him on fire while drowning his head under water.

The last thing he saw was his mom running towards him; face ashen and mouth caught in a silent wail. He wished he could tell her they would be ok. He passed out.

When he next woke up, he felt groggy, but his body felt like the most refreshed he'd been in a while.

"You're an idiot," were the first words out of his mom's mouth when their gaze met shortly after. The words were gruff, annoyed, but more than anything wet and broken.

Katsuki blinked down at her head resting next to his waist. "Fuck you," he breathed.

She laughed; scrubbing away the tears stains on her cheeks and using the same hand to ruffle his hair. He grimaced.

"You scared me." The words weren't any louder than the soft whispers of the wind. Katsuki still heard them none the less.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

He fell asleep with her fingers still running through his hair. Maybe they would be ok somehow.

The third time he woke up; this time from an actual sleep, Kirishima was there. His best friend grinned from his wheelchair. Katsuki grinned back.

He'd missed him. He really really had. And-

He snorted. "It feels like forever doesn't it shitty-hair?"

His friend chuckled. "Yeah dude, and it's just like the next day. Crazy aint it?"

* * *

This was the conversation I wanted to write the most. The relationship between Katsuki and his mom is so freaking interesting to me I can't help but explore it. She, I wouldn't cell her abusive in the sense of physical. She slaps him sure (my mom used to slap me from time to time too (never this hard but) so maybe I'm biased or it's just the black in me) but what I do think is abusive on her part it's the verbal words. She cuts Bakugou down like no one else and I find that quite alarming. Her calling him weak set of red flags in my mind after his kidnapping, and although I do believe she loves him, I think she shows it very very poorly.

Now, I'm not saying Bakugou's attitude and behaviour are hers to blame, but I do think she doesn't really treat him as her kid you know. More like a kid brother at times and that might have been because she saw her herself in him and didn't really know how to treat him outside of her image. I don't know. Their relationship seems very unhealthy and Katsuki is slowly realizing that. The final scene when he wakes up could be a bit jarring how quickly they both bounce back from an intense hate spat like that, but I also think that is in character for them. The whole family looks to me like they are willing to breeze by uncomfortable situations till they feel like they are equipped enough to handle them again. And here, Katsuki is kinda willing to wait her out. Give her time to think just as he needs to too.


	18. A Chance

Talking with Kirishima was as easy to him as fighting. It was natural, Bakugou never had to try hard, never had to worry he was saying the wrong things. Never had to care about what left his mouth. It was refreshing.

Kirshima, Shitty-hair, Bakugou didn't know how much he'd missed him till the grinning boy was sitting beside him, laughing at his own dumb joke.

"You're an idiot," he huffed; looking away so that the fond smile curling at the corner of his mouth wasn't visible.

"Sorry dude," the redhead said, laughter still in his voice. "I can't help it. Things have just been really crazy." There was a pause then, too long, that it made Katsuki turn back around; concern creasing his brows.

"What the fuck got you so down," he snapped. "We're both fine, aren't we?"

His best friend smiled; it didn't reach his eyes, but he did smile, which was something. Katsuki would take that as a temporary win. Still-

"What have you losers been up to," he asks; eyebrows lifted in barely interested curiosity, but Shitty-hair took it for what it was and grinned widely at him.

"Dude," he said; leaning forward as if he was departing some highly secret wisdom. "You have no idea. Denki came over right after, you know-" His face fell, but then he bounced back; fake smile again plastered on his lips. "Anyways," he said, shaking his head. "He had this big bruise on his left cheek right! Cuz he saw this guitar in the common room and thought that he could play it for a bit-"

"It was earlobes wasn't it," Bakugou scoffed; fully knowing where this disaster of a story was going. Kirishima grinned, and pressed his fingers into the side of the bed; leaning even closer.

"Yup," he said; mirth dancing in his eyes. "You guessed that right. And she so found him just standing there ya know, jamming, and she punched him!" Here he actually started giggling, making Bakugou kinda echo his smile.

"Well, I always said he was a fucking fool," he snorted; ignoring the brief pain that flared up at his side. It didn't matter. Shitty-hair was here right now, so, it didn't matter.

"I know he is," his best friend scoffed; not even an ounce of sympathy left in his expression. "But I'm still holding out hope." The blonde just rolled his eyes, hearing the fondness in the other's voice as clear as day. He wondered if he ever sounded the same when he was talking about these idiots.

"You and me both fucking shitty-hair," he said; smirk fully on his face now. "You and me both."

They fell into a comfortable silence then. Both of them content in just sitting there, in each other's presence, doing nothing. If anyone would have told him that out loud, Bakugou would have probably fucking punched them, but no one had, and no one would, and besides, he was here now, with fucking shitty-hair, so for now. _'I'm fine,'_ he thought._ 'I'm fine.'_

"Hey, Bakubro," his friend finally spoke up; breaking Bakugou out of his churning thoughts and bringing him back into reality. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Katsuki says; very well aware of the dangerous dip in his words. He knew he was being difficult, but – shitty-hair shouldn't have asked.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," the redhead continues when the silence lasts just a bit too long. "I won't force you to talk, you know that. But if you want to let something off your chest, I'm here."

It was such a Kirishima thing to say. Simple words, but to Bakugou, to him, it-

"Some people are just born to be heroes," he whispers; eyes locked onto the ceiling, refusing to meet the piercing gaze of his best friend. "Some people, they're just fucking great at the saving thing you know. Just meant to do it, and – Others," he swallows thickly here, blinking furiously as he tries to clench his fits, even if he knows he can't.

Why had he even started this conversation in the first place? _'Fucking idiot,'_ he hisses at himself.'

"Like Midoriya?" Kirishima asks, interrupting his thoughts; words careful, but also curious.

Leave it to shitty-hair to nail his whole fucking mess in the head. He grits his teeth. Anyone else... Anyone else, and he wouldn't have, but – It was fucking shitty-hair, so- "Yes, fucking Deku," he snaps. "All Might even said it." He was still not looking at the other. Refusing to avert his gaze from the interesting ceiling. "All Might said that he would save to win and that I would win to save," his lips trembled. "What if he meant that I couldn't... That I wasn't ready to fucking save people? That I wasn't born to save?" Why did his chest hurt? "You can learn to fucking win shitty-hair! But, I don't" he turned to look at Eijirou. Eijirou who's eyes were shadowed and who's lips were drawn into a thin line. "I don't think you can learn how to save shitty-hair," he whispered; water trailing down the side of his face, hitting his pillow with a splat. "I don't think you can learn that instinctive fucking goodness, so what does that make me?"

He could taste it on his lips. The shards of insecurities, the flesh of heartache. "Some people were born to be heroes shitty-hair, so what the fuck does that make me?"

It was a loaded question. A difficult question, and Kirishima didn't deserve to be saddled with all of Bakugou's fucking insecurities. Didn't need to deal with his level of bullshit, but-

If he couldn't ask fucking shitty-hair, then who the fuck was left?

Eijirou's arm had moved, and before Bakugou could even blink, his fingers where wrapped around his own.

They were warm.

Katsuki curled his shaking fingers around them too and closed his eyes.

"Hey Katsuki," his friend whispered; forming circles on the palm of his hand. "Maybe some people were born to be heroes," he squeezes his hand. "And some people became heroes despite of it?"

His eyes snap open, his chest expands, and his gaze locks with the matching red once staring back at him. Kirishima is smiling. Teeth white and eyes pools of bottomless understanding. "I think some people become heroes despite not being born to be one," he says slowly. "It means that they are willing to try harder, to fight more, to overcome more, and I think that's way more manlier dude."

The blonde blinks, and he stares. How the hell? He - "You're something else, you know that," he finally says, stunned. How did he manage to befriend someone so-

His best friend grins. "I know," he says, and Bakugou wants to seriously punch him in that moment, maybe hug him too. He doesn't really know. Instead, he settles for a scowl, and a light huff.

"Whatever," he says.

"Anytime," Kirishima smiles.

Some people learn to save huh? Katsuki thinks maybe Eijirou learned to save too when he saved him.

"Hey Bakubro, guess what?"

"What?" The sudden enthusiasm in the other's voice might have given Bakugou a whiplash if he wasn't so used to him at this point. Blinking away the remnant of his emotional outburst, he looks back at his friend. "What do you want?"

The redhead doesn't say anything, instead, he just drops a pool of black material on top of his head. "Midoriya told me to hold onto this for you. He said you didn't want anyone else to touch it!"

He stared down at the black coat laying on his lap. "Fucking Deku." Kirishima snorted and leaned back in his wheelchair.

"Show more gratitude dude," he huffed, and Bakugou just scoffed back at him. As if-

Still, Deku had kept his promise.

Slowly reaching out, he twists the fabric between his fingers. Maybe he should say something to the nerd later. Maybe.

But before anything else could occur to him, his fingers slide over something strange in the material. He blinks.

Huh?

"What is it?" Shitty-hair had clearly noticed something was off. So looking back at his friend, Bakugou jerked his head in the direction of the coat. "Pick that up for me and see what's up with the inner lining, will you," he orders.

Kirishima _'bless his heart'_ doesn't even do more than stare at him in mild confusion, before he does what he's told. "There is nothing-" he starts, before abruptly cutting himself off and going silent.

Bakugou tensed. "What?" he asked; nerves running wild under his skin. "What did you find?"

"It's a name," the redhead said slowly. And for a second Katsuki felt a brief flair of disappointed, because of course a villain as conceded as Robort would write his fucking name on the coat, but then- "It says Akio Kaoru. Hey, isn't that Whirlpool? That old time hero? I think he had this interview with Crimson Riot once way back?"

Akio Kaoru

Why would the lining of Robot's coat spell the words Akio Kaoru. An old hero, a Japanese hero. Bakugou's eyes were as wide as dinner plates at that moment. Best Jeanist had given him the coat. Best Jeanist could manipulate fabric. And-

"Wow," Kirishima said. "It's like the name is part of the material. It's actually pretty cool. Who did you get it from again?"

Katsuki couldn't move. What the fuck! Best Jeanist. Beast Jeanist had left him a fucking clue! Someone, that man, _Whirlpool_, that old hero, he must have known something. He most know something! And-

The blonde swallowed thickly. Maybe he could find him. Talk to him. Maybe if he had concrete proof that the uniform freak was a good guy, the heroes wouldn't arrest him after they found him. Maybe, maybe Bakugou could still do something good. Save him – _maybe he could still save him._

"Oi, shitty-hair," he breathes; eyes fully locked on the coat between the other's bandaged fingers. "I need to find Akio Kaoru. Fucking help me."

* * *

Yay for smart Best Jeanist! Pretty sure he wants Bakugou to hand the coat over to the cops though, but hey, now bakugou has a sliver of hope given back to him! Probably not a good idea with the mindset he's in, but small mercies and all that. At least best boi Kirishima is with him.

This chapter was supposed to cover a lot more than this conversation, but it turned out a lot longer than expected. I'm starting to think that maybe I gotta add a couple chapters more to the story, to conclude it perfectly. Hmmmm, we'll have to see.

Hey, Akio isn't a real character (oc too), but does anyone wanna guess his role in the story? I think most of you might have guessed, but I'm curious to see how much you've put it together at this point :)


	19. A Smile

"Why? Who is he to you?" Kirishima was examining the coat a bit more thoroughly now. His eyebrows were pushed together, and his nose was crunched up in that way that made him look confused.

Bakugou contemplates just keeping the information to himself. Telling shitty-hair wouldn't help anyone. It would only result in more people knowing a secret they shouldn't. Besides, Katsuki knew without a shadow of a doubt that his best friend would help him without knowing anything. He was just that type of person. Absolute faith in the people he cared about.

Maybe that's why... Maybe that simple fact of utter trust his friend had in him – Maybe that's why Katsuki decided to tell the truth.

"I think Whirlpool knows something about the uniform freak," he said slowly; body locked in place, but eyes examining everything around him except for the shocked look on Kirishima's face.

"Hold up," the redhead exclaims. "Are you saying that he might have a clue about where Best jeanist is? The hell dude, we should tell Aizawa-sensei now!"

"No."

Bakugou can't fully sit up, or move really, but he puts enough force behind his words, that it stops Kirishima momentarily in his tracks. His friend looks back at him; worry lining his mouth, but also a demand for answers. "Why not?" he asks; frowning slightly. "What are you not telling me dude?"

"..."

"Bakubro, please talk to me man."

Sighing, Katsuki turns a bit, just enough so he can meet the pair of red eyes staring back at him with concern.

Fuck, how could he keep this from shitty-hair. He didn't want the uniform freak to get into trouble. Didn't want to reveal a secret the man probably spent years hiding, but – but, it was eating him inside. Burning away at him like a dark twisted secret crawling its way out of his body.

This was Kirishima. If he couldn't trust the one person in the world who'd never let him down, then who the fuck could he trust? Shitty-hair wouldn't, he wouldn't just blab to anyone-

"I think Tsunagu-san used to be a villain," he breaths, finally; voice no louder than the traitorous whispers running through his head. "The villains that attacked the hospital were specifically aiming for him.

Blinking, stunned, his best friend shook his head in denial. "No way dude," he said; volume bit higher than necessary. "If he used to be a villain, everyone would know man, it's not possible."

Katsuki glares. It's not like he wanted this either. It's not like he wanted to believe it, but-

"The leader, he knew him."

"So," Shitty-hair says; skepticism clear in his eyes. "Tons of people know Best Jeanist. He used to be the number four hero man."

Why the fuck was Kirishima making this so fucking hard. "That's not what I meant," he snaps. He didn't want this to be true either. "He called him by a different name ok!" He didn't want Tsunagu-san to get in trouble. "And Jeanist knew him too!" He didn't want to ruin his career. "His name was Robert and he told Jeanist they wanted him back." But how could he save him if he didn't talk? "They called him Nicolas shitty-hair, and Tsunagu-san recognized them from his past." He just wanted to fucking save the man. "I think he was a villain Eijirou. I really think he was." His voice broke, and he coughed to hide it.

It didn't go unnoticed though. Kirishima gaze was boring into his skull, but more than that, scarred fingers clutched his own again, and when he looked, his best friend was smiling at him, teeth and all. "Ok," he said; tightening his grip around Katsuki's hand. "I believe you man. Sorry for doubting you."

Swallowing thickly, Katsuki blinked furiously, and looked away from those too understanding red lights. "Good," he said; voice hoarse. "I didn't fucking want to hit you over the head with it."

Kirishima laughs, and Bakugou cracks a smile.

They were good. They were always good.

"So, you want me to help you find Whirlpool," Shitty-hair finally asks; still not letting go of his hand. Somewhere deep down, Katsuki appreciates that, but – Shaking his fingers out of the comforting grip, he glares at Eijirou in warning; his best friend only laughs.

Idiot.

"Yeah," he answers. "The quicker we find him, the faster we might know about those fucking villains and what they want with the uniform freak."

"Stop calling him that man."

"Fuck you."

Kirishima only sighs in defeat, getting back to their current conversation. "You think we can find him?"

Bakugou shrugs as best as he can. "I don't think Jeanist would have left that clue with me, if he thought we couldn't."

_That the hero might have wanted them to involve the older heroes and the police remained unsaid, but still lingered in the air as a tense unspoken weight on their shoulders._

Leaning back into his wheelchair again, the redhead fumbled clumsily in his pocked, before dragging out his phone with a bit of a challenge. "I'll look him up," he said in answer to Bakugou's questioning eyebrow.

It didn't take Kirishima long at all to track the retired hero down. "Wow," he said; fingers tapping away at his phone. "Should people just know heroes' homes like this? It feels kinda risky."

"They can probably protect themselves," Bakugou thinks out loud. "And messing with retired heroes is like a big no, right? Probably gonna have the wrath of the entire hero community come down on you. Besides," here he shrugs. "It doesn't really gain fuckers anything."

His best friend didn't look all that convinced, but he elected to drop the topic for now. "I guess," he said; staring at his phone. "Either way, I found where he lives."

"Where?"

Bakugou tried not to sound too eager.

"He lives in Toyohashi."

"That's," Katsuki starts.

"I know," the redhead interrupts him. "It's pretty close to Musutafu. In fact," more typing. "It's only 33km from the city. And if we take the express train," a pause. "It's about 15 minutes. That's actually pretty good, right?"

Bakugou didn't answer. For the first time, since this morning, since the attack, the kids, the fight, the loss, the sacrifice... Something, finally something – It was looking up for him. He; biting his lip, his chest expanded to take in the much-needed air.

Luck, fucking luck was on his side this time.

Finally.

"Let's go see him," he says; not looking at his best friend. "Tomorrow, let's go see Kaoru-san."

A second of silence and then-

"How about, no."

The answer was so unexpected, Bakugou's head snapped up. "The fuck, shitty-hair?"

The redhead just glared back. "I said no man," he says. "It's crazy talk. We are both super injured and how the hell are we gonna even get out of the hospital to find this man? It's just stupid. Besides," he looks concerned. "You could get expelled for this."

But Bakugou was done listening. His blood was boiling, and his teeth were gritting so hard, he wouldn't be surprised if he gritted them to dust, right then and there. "I will be expelled anyways," he snapped. "I didn't have a hero license when I disobeyed Aizawa-sensei. I'll be expelled anyways Kirishima!" Tears, fucking tears were brimming his eyes again. "Might as well go out knowing I've done something right!"

Eijirou's resolve wavered slightly, but – It was clear he wasn't about to budge on this. "I'm sorry man," he said. "Recovery Girl will be here tomorrow and the police too and all these extra securities. We can't go. And Aizawa-sensei won't have you expelled. He'll do something. You know that, so please-" His eyes were glassy. "Please don't do anything stupid. You don't have a license man. And even with Recovery Girl's help, you won't be hundred percent. Please Katsuki?"

It was as if he'd been hit in the stomach. He couldn't think. Had shitty-hair been worried? This much? All this time, and he – He hadn't even fucking thought about it, let himself consider all the worry, all the sacrifice everyone else- He... How fucking selfish.

"I,"

Still, Best Jeanist – The heroes were looking for him, if they found him and found out... Would they want him back? With no evidence, no proof? The hero world wasn't that forgiving, not that kind, so-

"I'm sorry," he whispered; water droplets hitting his bed. "I can't Eijirou. I'm sorry."

The crestfallen look on shitty-hair's face almost made Bakugou want to take it all back, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. He had to go. No one would let him help if he didn't. And Best Jeanist, he could be jailed. For past crimes, so – But... Maybe, maybe he could compromise?

"We can take Ghost face-senpai," he blurted out; just desperate to erase that look from his best friend's face. "He is a full-fledged hero, right? He was assigned to this mission already, so if he goes with us, we won't be breaking the rules."

Kirishima didn't look happy about the idea, but at the same time he didn't look unhappy either. "Not just Tamaki-senpai," the redhead said eventually. "We'll take Midoriya too. I don't want to put any of them in danger, but it's better that we are more."

The blonde wanted to protest, but shitty-hair lifted a hand to stop him. "The only reason why I'm helping you is cuz I know you'll just go without me, and this visit probably doesn't include combat." Here he glared. "But we won't go there without sufficient backup, and whether you like it or not, Midoriya is strong and he'll help me stop you if things go too far."

"Anything else?" Sarcasm was practically dripping from Katsuki's voice, but still-

Shitty-hair hadn't said no. Of course, at the end of the day, he knew the redhead wouldn't. It was wrong to use their friendship like that, but Bakugou would definitely be expelled soon, and he wanted to do something right, before then. He wanted to help save Best Jeanist.

"Yes, there is something else," his best friend huffed. "We won't go till after Recovery Girl heals us, and even then, only after at least three days have passed." He bulldozed through Bakugou's protest. "And," he said loudly. "We're taking at least two more heroes with us. Since you can't fight, we need more people who can."

This was all crazy, and Bakugou would rather leave everyone behind, but shitty-hair was speaking sense, and it's not like he wanted to experience the same unfortunate incident of yesterday, so-

"Fine," he grumbled.

"I'm not finished."

Fucking hell. "What more do you want fucking shitty-hair!"

Kirishima frowned. "Promise me if we do this, we won't go to try and save Best Jeanist. I know it's hypocritical of me to ask, but _promise _me Katsuki."

He opened his mouth.

He didn't want to. He wanted to save the man. Wanted to do his fucking part. Wanted not to fail, but Aizawa-sensei and Tamaki-senpai and Deku and now, shitty-hair, he couldn't fail them too, and-

"I won't. And whatever we find out. I'll tell Aizawa-sensei first."

Tsunagu-san, he wouldn't want him to either. He didn't know why, but deep down, in his very core, he knew. Knew the older hero wouldn't want him to rush after him recklessly, but _this_, he could do this much to save him. "Will you help me then Eijirou?"

"Yeah man, this is really a bad idea, but I got your back."

Bakugou grinned; tears long dried. "I know."

Kirishima shook his head, but a similar grin also painted his face. "You're so bad for me dude," he says with a fond look in his eyes.

They didn't get an opportunity to hash anything else out though, for in the next minute, voice from outside broke the quiet in their room, and not before long, Aizawa-sensei walked through the door; ghost face-senpai hot on his heels.

"Looks like you're up," his teacher said; hands stuffed in his pockets, and a small folder tucked under his arm. "Good morning Bakugou, Kirishima."

"Morning sensei!" the redhead grins, and Katsuki only nods back in greeting. Sighing, their teacher steps aside for Tamaki-senpai; the younger shuffling past him and over to the two of them.

"Time to go," he mutters to the teenager in the wheelchair; absentmindedly reaching out to ruffle his hair; something the younger doesn't seem to mind. But when Tamaki tries to do the same to the blonde, he gets a vicious snarl back.

It doesn't stop Tamaki though. Lightning quick, his arm is past his face and in his hair. "I'm glad to see you doing well," he says; a ghost of a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Get the fuck off me," is all he gets as a reply.

Suneater doesn't seem to mind. Smile only widening, before he turns around and takes a hold of the wheelchair. "Let's go Kirishima," he says. "Aizawa-sensei needs to talk to Bakugou."

The redhead agrees easily, waving at both the other occupants of the room as he is pushed out of the room; his easy chatter being heard till the door falls shut behind them.

Bakugou rolls his eyes, but his shoulders have relaxed, and he would be lying if he said he didn't feel just the slightest bit better seeing his teacher and ghost face-senpai again.

Aizawa-sensei doesn't waste any time in meaningless pleasantries after the other two have left; electing to drag one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs over to the bed and sinking into it. "We don't have much time," he begins.

"What? Did something else happen?" Dread starts clawing its way back into blonde's lungs, but the shake of Aizawa-sensei's head dispels that somewhat.

"No," his teacher says. "Nothing has happened yet, and we have much to talk about later about your recklessness and self-endangerment yesterday, but the police will be here any minute now, and if I don't tell you this, you might very well be expelled Bakugou."

Katsuki's gaze flitters back to his lap. "I already know I'll get expelled Aizawa-sensei; you don't have to sugarcoat it for me."

A folder is thrown into his line of sight then. "That might not necessarily be true."

"Huh?"

Sighing, Aizawa-sensei leans over and slowly, yet carefully opens the folder, bringing out-

Bakugou's breath catches.

"Is that – That looks like... The fuck?"

His teacher flicks him on the forehead lightly. "Don't curse kid. But yes, this is a provisional hero license, more specifically," he looks Katsuki in the eyes. "Your provisional hero license."

"What?"

Running tired fingers over his eyes, Aizawa-sensei sighs again. "Look kid. There is no way around the fact that if the police find out what you did, we will be forced to expel you. Since they already know and I can't do anything about that, but-" here he swings the tiny card around. "I could pull some strings. I_ did_ pull some strings."

Dropping the card back in Katsuki's lap, he folds his arms over his chest and stares the teenager down. "I owe Gang Orca a couple of favors now, and you better thank your fellow exam re-takers for being willing to lie for you, but as far as anyone will know. You got your license two days ago but was told to keep it under wraps till it was made official next week. So, by all account, you were a licensed hero when you did what you did."

The hell? How? Why would Aizawa-sensei... Why would he lie for him? He'd been so prepared, tried to steal himself for the expulsion, had accepted his faith and now-

"How will anyone-"

"Believe this?" Aizawa-sensei interrupts him. Bakugou nods; mouth dry.

His teacher shrugs. "You all passed your last exam already, so we didn't really have to do anything about that, we just had to speed up the process of getting the license and to pretend you all already had it on you but weren't allowed to talk about it. None of this would have worked if Utsushimi-san, Yoarashi-san and Todoroki hadn't agreed to lie for you. So please thank them after you get out."

He... They... Why?

'_You're not worth it,' _his thoughts whispered. _'They shouldn't have to cover for your failures. No one should stick their necks out for you. You're not worth it'_

He swallows, fingers twitching.

"Will they get in trouble, if they are found out, I mean?"

Aizawa shakes his head. "They already passed the exam. So, no. Only Kugo and I could potentially face punishment if we're found out, but the chances of that happening are rather slim, so don't worry about it."

_Why_

"Why?" he asks; words only a whisper. He doesn't understand. Doesn't get it. Why would anyone?

This time Aizawa-sensei cracks the tiniest bits of a smile. "I always scold Toshinori for his blatant favoritism, and here I go doing the same."

Bakugou couldn't breathe. He - He was, important? To Aizawa-sensei, he-

His fingers feebly reached out; scratching at the duvet desperately.

For what Katsuki wasn't sure, but-

Aizawa-sensei lifted the card and placed it gently between his fingers; his own curling around Bakugou's shaking fists. "Congrats kid." A smile; tiny, but proud. "You're a hero now."

Katsuki's lips trembled.

He cried.

"Thank you." A sob. "Thank you."

Aizawa-sensei never let go.

* * *

Couple of things I wanna go over here. This chapter is much longer than usual because there were a lot of material I needed to cover. Too many questions I needed to answer.

First the whole location and traveling thing. Apparently UA is located in Musutafu. A place that doesn't exist, but with some research I found out that it's Hamamatsu, or where Hamamatsu would have been in that world, so let's just go with it. Toyohashi is the closest city just 33km away, and I thought that would be the most ideal solution. If they take express train (let's say there is an express train) it will take them about 14 minutes or so to get to the city, so with that, I hope it sorta make sense.

Next part, Kirishima is kinda managing to talk some sense into Bakugou. He's also reckless himself, so it's not like he isn't going to be dragged along, but at least he talked him down to some degree, and with Tamaki, they are at least not fully endangering themselves. Now I'm sorry I took the whole running off to rescue jeanist by themselves of the table, but there is no way in hell I could let these stupid kids do that. Tamaki wouldn't allow it, and Bakugou at least trusts the heroes to do their job and save jeanist. Plus, where would they even go? So this was a better compromise for me. They will try to clear his name and find somethings out and hand it over to the heroes that will be the once saving jeanist.

As for the last part. Surprise! Bakugou gets his license. When I sent him on his reckless, dumb mission I knew there was no way he wouldn't get expelled. Like? He fought without a license, fought a freaking crew of villains and disobeyed Aizawa, so no way he wouldn't face punishment, buuuuut I also couldn't let that happen, so I found a loophole. Aizawa plays favoritism just as much as All Might does, whether he likes to admit it or not, so him pulling favors to give Bakugou his license so he doesn't get expelled makes sense to me. And Katsuki better thank Todoroki for his kindness as well as the other two. They really stepped up f


End file.
